2021 Colorado Code
Title 18 - Criminal Code
Article 8 - Offenses - Governmental Operations
Part 7 - Victims and Witnesses Protection
§ 18-8-703. Bribing a Witness or Victim

1. A person commits bribing a witness or victim if he or she offers, confers, or agrees to confer any benefit upon a witness, or a victim, or a person he or she believes is to be called to testify as a witness or victim in any official proceeding, or upon a member of the witness' family, a member of the victim's family, a person in close relationship to the witness or victim, or a person residing in the same household as the witness or victim with intent to:
   1. Influence the witness or victim to testify falsely or unlawfully withhold any testimony; or
   2. Induce the witness or victim to avoid legal process summoning him to testify; or
   3. Induce the witness or victim to absent himself or herself from an official proceeding.

2. Bribing a witness or victim is a class 4 felony.

History. Source: L. 84: Entire part added, p. 501, § 4, effective July 1. L. 2004: IP(1) and (1)(c) amended, p. 435, § 1, effective July 1.

This section is similar to former § 18-8-602 as it existed prior to 1984.

An attorney found guilty of subornation of perjury under this section will be disbarred. People ex rel. Colo. Bar Ass'n v. McCann, 80 Colo. 220 , 249 P. 1093 (1926) (decided under former C.L. § 6777).

An agreement in which money or other valuable consideration is paid in exchange for a crime victim's efforts to obtain leniency in connection with a criminal charge is void as against Colorado public policy. Because at least part of the consideration for execution of a settlement agreement and promissory note was given in an attempt to hinder or stifle the prosecution of the defendant's wife, the entire agreement and promissory note are void. Rademacher v. Becker, 2015 COA 133 , 374 P.3d 499.