Section 137 Of Chapter 6. Falsifying Evidence, And Bribing, Influencing, Intimidating Or Threatening Witnesses From California Penal Code >> Title 7. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 6.
137
. (a) Every person who gives or offers, or promises to give, to
any witness, person about to be called as a witness, or person about
to give material information pertaining to a crime to a law
enforcement official, any bribe, upon any understanding or agreement
that the testimony of such witness or information given by such
person shall be thereby influenced is guilty of a felony.
(b) Every person who attempts by force or threat of force or by
the use of fraud to induce any person to give false testimony or
withhold true testimony or to give false material information
pertaining to a crime to, or withhold true material information
pertaining to a crime from, a law enforcement official is guilty of a
felony, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of
Section 1170 for two, three, or four years.
As used in this subdivision, "threat of force" means a credible
threat of unlawful injury to any person or damage to the property of
another which is communicated to a person for the purpose of inducing
him to give false testimony or withhold true testimony or to give
false material information pertaining to a crime to, or to withhold
true material information pertaining to a crime from, a law
enforcement official.
(c) Every person who knowingly induces another person to give
false testimony or withhold true testimony not privileged by law or
to give false material information pertaining to a crime to, or to
withhold true material information pertaining to a crime from, a law
enforcement official is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(d) At the arraignment, on a showing of cause to believe this
section may be violated, the court, on motion of a party, shall
admonish the person who there is cause to believe may violate this
section and shall announce the penalties and other provisions of this
section.
(e) As used in this section "law enforcement official" includes
any district attorney, deputy district attorney, city attorney,
deputy city attorney, the Attorney General or any deputy attorney
general, or any peace officer included in Chapter 4.5 (commencing
with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2.
(f) The provisions of subdivision (c) shall not apply to an
attorney advising a client or to a person advising a member of his or
her family.