Section 575.270

Title XXXVIII CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS

Chapter 575

Effective - 28 Aug 2005, 2 histories, see footnote   (history) 

  *575.270.  Until December 31, 2016 — Tampering with a witness — tampering with a victim. — 1.  A person commits the crime of tampering with a witness if, with purpose to induce a witness or a prospective witness to disobey a subpoena or other legal process, or to absent himself or avoid subpoena or other legal process, or to withhold evidence, information or documents, or to testify falsely, he:

  (1)  Threatens or causes harm to any person or property; or

  (2)  Uses force, threats or deception; or

  (3)  Offers, confers or agrees to confer any benefit, direct or indirect, upon such witness; or

  (4)  Conveys any of the foregoing to another in furtherance of a conspiracy.

  2.  A person commits the crime of "victim tampering" if, with purpose to do so, he prevents or dissuades or attempts to prevent or dissuade any person who has been a victim of any crime or a person who is acting on behalf of any such victim from:

  (1)  Making any report of such victimization to any peace officer, or state, local or federal law enforcement officer or prosecuting agency or to any judge;

  (2)  Causing a complaint, indictment or information to be sought and prosecuted or assisting in the prosecution thereof;

  (3)  Arresting or causing or seeking the arrest of any person in connection with such victimization.

  3.  Tampering with a witness in a prosecution, tampering with a witness with purpose to induce the witness to testify falsely, or victim tampering is a class C felony if the original charge is a felony.  Otherwise, tampering with a witness or victim tampering is a class A misdemeanor.  Persons convicted under this section shall not be eligible for parole.

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(L. 1977 S.B. 60, A.L. 1983 S.B. 24, A.L. 2005 H.B. 353)

*This section was amended by S.B. 491, 2014, effective 1-01-17.  Due to the delayed effective date, both versions of this section are printed here.

CROSS REFERENCES:

Court order against witness or victim tampering, 491.600; violations, 491.610

Pretrial release of defendant conditioned on no tampering, forms for bail or bond to set out also forfeiture of bond, 491.620