Corrupt Witness Testimony
“I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…” This is the oath that witnesses take before testifying in California criminal trials. We’ve all heard it, either live in a courtroom setting, in TV, or in a movie. But all too often this oath means little, if anything.
This is because witnesses are people just like everyone else. And, just like everyone else, they succumb to impulses based on temptation, greed, and/or lust. But when they do…and get caught for doing so…prosecutors will likely charge them with California Penal Code 138 PC, bribery of a witness.
Penal Code 138 PC, California’s law against bribing a witness prohibits witnesses from accepting money or anything else of value in exchange for “adjusting” their testimony. And because California’s bribery laws go both ways, Penal Code 137 PC punishes the people who offer bribes to witnesses.
No one is exempt from prosecution under these California bribery laws. Doctors, lawyers, celebrities, criminals, and innocent people alike have all been charged with these bribery offenses. But beware, bribery is usually charged as a felony, subjecting the person who offers or accepts a bribe to state prison and substantial fines.
