§ 39-16-107 — Bribing a witness

(a) A person commits an offense who: (1) Offers, confers or agrees to confer anything of value upon a witness or a person the defendant believes will be called as a witness in any official proceeding with intent to: (A) Corruptly influence the testimony of the witness; (B) Induce the witness to avoid or attempt to avoid legal process summoning the witness to testify; or (C) Induce the witness to be absent from an official proceeding to which that witness has been legally summoned; or (2) Is a witness or believes the person will be called as a witness in any official proceeding and solicits, accepts or agrees to accept anything of value upon an agreement or understanding that: (A) The witness's testimony will be corruptly influenced; (B) The witness will attempt to avoid legal process summoning the witness to testify; or (C) The witness will attempt to be absent from an official proceeding to which the witness has been legally summoned. (b) This section does not apply to the payment of additional compensation to an expert witness over and above the amount otherwise prescribed by law to be paid a witness. (c) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to nullify or repeal any contempt power of any judge of any court of this state. (d) Bribing a witness is a Class C felony.

Legislative History

Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1.