2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES
Chapter 49 - Falsification and Intimidation
4952 - Intimidation of witnesses or victims.

     § 4952.  Intimidation of witnesses or victims.
        (a)  Offense defined.--A person commits an offense if, with
     the intent to or with the knowledge that his conduct will
     obstruct, impede, impair, prevent or interfere with the
     administration of criminal justice, he intimidates or attempts
     to intimidate any witness or victim to:
            (1)  Refrain from informing or reporting to any law
        enforcement officer, prosecuting official or judge concerning
        any information, document or thing relating to the commission
        of a crime.
            (2)  Give any false or misleading information or
        testimony relating to the commission of any crime to any law
        enforcement officer, prosecuting official or judge.
            (3)  Withhold any testimony, information, document or
        thing relating to the commission of a crime from any law
        enforcement officer, prosecuting official or judge.
            (4)  Give any false or misleading information or
        testimony or refrain from giving any testimony, information,
        document or thing, relating to the commission of a crime, to
        an attorney representing a criminal defendant.
            (5)  Elude, evade or ignore any request to appear or
        legal process summoning him to appear to testify or supply
        evidence.
            (6)  Absent himself from any proceeding or investigation
        to which he has been legally summoned.
        (b)  Grading.--
            (1)  The offense is a felony of the degree indicated in
        paragraphs (2) through (4) if:
                (i)  The actor employs force, violence or deception,
            or threatens to employ force or violence, upon the
            witness or victim or, with the requisite intent or
            knowledge upon any other person.
                (ii)  The actor offers any pecuniary or other benefit
            to the witness or victim or, with the requisite intent or
            knowledge, to any other person.
                (iii)  The actor's conduct is in furtherance of a
            conspiracy to intimidate a witness or victim.
                (iv)  The actor accepts, agrees or solicits another
            to accept any pecuniary or other benefit to intimidate a
            witness or victim.
                (v)  The actor has suffered any prior conviction for
            any violation of this section or any predecessor law
            hereto, or has been convicted, under any Federal statute
            or statute of any other state, of an act which would be a
            violation of this section if committed in this State.
            (2)  The offense is a felony of the first degree if a
        felony of the first degree or murder in the first or second
        degree was charged in the case in which the actor sought to
        influence or intimidate a witness or victim as specified in
        this subsection.
            (3)  The offense is a felony of the second degree if a
        felony of the second degree is the most serious offense
        charged in the case in which the actor sought to influence or
        intimidate a witness or victim as specified in this
        subsection.
            (4)  The offense is a felony of the third degree in any
        other case in which the actor sought to influence or
        intimidate a witness or victim as specified in this
        subsection.
            (5)  Otherwise the offense is a misdemeanor of the second
        degree.
     (Dec. 10, 2001, P.L.855, No.90, eff. 60 days)

        Cross References.  Section 4952 is referred to in sections
     4909, 4953, 4955, 4956, 5708, 6105 of this title; section 5552
     of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure).