Section 132.5 Of Chapter 6. Falsifying Evidence, And Bribing, Influencing, Intimidating Or Threatening Witnesses From California Penal Code >> Title 7. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 6.
132.5
. (a) The Legislature supports and affirms the constitutional
right of every person to communicate on any subject. This section is
intended to preserve the right of every accused person to a fair
trial, the right of the people to due process of law, and the
integrity of judicial proceedings. This section is not intended to
prevent any person from disseminating any information or opinion.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the disclosure for
valuable consideration of information relating to crimes by
prospective witnesses can cause the loss of credible evidence in
criminal trials and threatens to erode the reliability of verdicts.
The Legislature further finds and declares that the disclosure for
valuable consideration of information relating to crimes by
prospective witnesses creates an appearance of injustice that is
destructive of public confidence.
(b) A person who is a witness to an event or occurrence that he or
she knows is a crime or who has personal knowledge of facts that he
or she knows or reasonably should know may require that person to be
called as a witness in a criminal prosecution shall not accept or
receive, directly or indirectly, any money or its equivalent in
consideration for providing information obtained as a result of
witnessing the event or occurrence or having personal knowledge of
the facts.
(c) A person who is a witness to an event or occurrence that he or
she reasonably should know is a crime shall not accept or receive,
directly or indirectly, any money or its equivalent in consideration
for providing information obtained as a result of his or her
witnessing the event or occurrence.
(d) The Attorney General or the district attorney of the county in
which an alleged violation of subdivision (c) occurs may institute a
civil proceeding. Where a final judgment is rendered in the civil
proceeding, the defendant shall be punished for the violation of
subdivision (c) by a fine equal to 150 percent of the amount received
or contracted for by the person.
(e) A violation of subdivision (b) is a misdemeanor punishable by
imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months in a county jail, a
fine not exceeding three times the amount of compensation requested,
accepted, or received, or both the imprisonment and fine.
(f) This section does not apply if more than one year has elapsed
from the date of any criminal act related to the information that is
provided under subdivision (b) or (c) unless prosecution has
commenced for that criminal act. If prosecution has commenced, this
section shall remain applicable until the final judgment in the
action.
(g) This section does not apply to any of the following
circumstances:
(1) Lawful compensation paid to expert witnesses, investigators,
employees, or agents by a prosecutor, law enforcement agency, or an
attorney employed to represent a person in a criminal matter.
(2) Lawful compensation provided to an informant by a prosecutor
or law enforcement agency.
(3) Compensation paid to a publisher, editor, reporter, writer, or
other person connected with or employed by a newspaper, magazine, or
other publication or a television or radio news reporter or other
person connected with a television or radio station, for disclosing
information obtained in the ordinary course of business.
(4) Statutorily authorized rewards offered by governmental
agencies or private reward programs offered by victims of crimes for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of specified
offenders.
(5) Lawful compensation provided to a witness participating in the
Witness Relocation and Assistance Program established pursuant to
Title 7.5 (commencing with Section 14020) of Part 4.
(h) For purposes of this section, "information" does not include a
photograph, videotape, audiotape, or any other direct recording of
an event or occurrence.
(i) For purposes of this section, "victims of crimes" shall be
construed in a manner consistent with Section 28 of Article I of the
California Constitution, and shall include victims, as defined in
subdivision (3) of Section 136.