dimanche 9 février 2014

General Information Concerning Witness Tampering

By Eula Nichols


Witness tampering is a legal term. It is traditionally defined as the threat or harm that is done to a witness in an effort to influence his or her testimony in a court setting. Testimony by a witness is often used by plaintiffs and defendants as evidence in criminal and civil cases.

Interfering with these testimonies is largely considered a major offense. It is known to disrupt civil cases and criminal prosecutions. In an attempt to protect the justice system and its integrity, these kinds of actions are punished by law in most parts of the world, including the United States of America.

These testimonies are a very important component of proving cases. An example of what role these play in the justice system: an eye witness reports all that he or she has seen before, during or after the event in question. This single report can, in some instances, be all the evidence that is necessary to convict a suspect guilty. It might also be enough to prove that a case against an individual is conclusive.

There is more than one type of witness that may be used in the justice system. Character refers to those who are asked to testify regarding the personality and character of a plaintiff or defendant, while expert types are usually people who have little to no information about the alleged suspects or events. Instead, experts are called on to give their hypotheses or opinion on a topic based on their area of knowledge.

It is helpful to have witnesses to call on. They can be of aid when it comes to recalling events that took place when there are disagreements regarding what occurred. They can also help court or jury when it comes time to decide on whether the crime was committed and by whom.

For these reasons, it is so important that tampering be handled like a major crime. People who are guilty of this may face many different punishments, depending on several factors. In cases where physical threats were made toward witnesses, the consequences are severe. People convicted of this may spend up to 10 years in jail. If physical force was used, the sentencing time could be extended to up to 20 years. Tampering does not need to be successful in order for it to be treated as a crime and people involved to receive punishment.

This action is taken with the intent to alter or coerce the testimony of a witness through means that are considered illegal. In other words, this might involve making physical threats to the family and friends of the witness, as well as the person who is set to testify. This classification might also be used to describe bribery of these individuals. For example, a defendant involved in a criminal or civil case may offer money or some other thing of value to a person who is set to testify in exchange for a falsely testifying in his or her favor.

In America, witness tampering is considered a federal crime that is not taken lightly. This is used to describe tampering with witnesses, victims or informants. A person who is suspected of doing this may face multiple charges, including extortion, bribery and coercion, and is likely to receive severe consequences if found guilty.




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