Section 76 Of Title 5. Of Crimes By And Against The Executive Power Of The State From California Penal Code >> Title 5. >> Part 1.
76
. (a) Every person who knowingly and willingly threatens the life
of, or threatens serious bodily harm to, any elected public
official, county public defender, county clerk, exempt appointee of
the Governor, judge, or Deputy Commissioner of the Board of Prison
Terms, or the staff, immediate family, or immediate family of the
staff of any elected public official, county public defender, county
clerk, exempt appointee of the Governor, judge, or Deputy
Commissioner of the Board of Prison Terms, with the specific intent
that the statement is to be taken as a threat, and the apparent
ability to carry out that threat by any means, is guilty of a public
offense, punishable as follows:
(1) Upon a first conviction, the offense is punishable by a fine
not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by imprisonment
pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not
exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(2) If the person has been convicted previously of violating this
section, the previous conviction shall be charged in the accusatory
pleading, and if the previous conviction is found to be true by the
jury upon a jury trial, or by the court upon a court trial, or is
admitted by the defendant, the offense is punishable by imprisonment
pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
(b) Any law enforcement agency that has knowledge of a violation
of this section involving a constitutional officer of the state, a
Member of the Legislature, or a member of the judiciary shall
immediately report that information to the Department of the
California Highway Patrol.
(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall
apply:
(1) "Apparent ability to carry out that threat" includes the
ability to fulfill the threat at some future date when the person
making the threat is an incarcerated prisoner with a stated release
date.
(2) "Serious bodily harm" includes serious physical injury or
serious traumatic condition.
(3) "Immediate family" means a spouse, parent, or child, or anyone
who has regularly resided in the household for the past six months.
(4) "Staff of a judge" means court officers and employees,
including commissioners, referees, and retired judges sitting on
assignment.
(5) "Threat" means a verbal or written threat or a threat implied
by a pattern of conduct or a combination of verbal or written
statements and conduct made with the intent and the apparent ability
to carry out the threat so as to cause the person who is the target
of the threat to reasonably fear for his or her safety or the safety
of his or her immediate family.
(d) As for threats against staff or immediate family of staff, the
threat must relate directly to the official duties of the staff of
the elected public official, county public defender, county clerk,
exempt appointee of the Governor, judge, or Deputy Commissioner of
the Board of Prison Terms in order to constitute a public offense
under this section.
(e) A threat must relate directly to the official duties of a
Deputy Commissioner of the Board of Prison Terms in order to
constitute a public offense under this section.