Although the truth hurts, lying may be even costlier if you get caught doing it under oath. This is called perjury and it is a serious crime. If you’ve been charged with perjury in Oklahoma City, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney today.
About Perjury in Oklahoma City
Under Oklahoma law, “whoever, in a trial, hearing, investigation, deposition, certification or declaration…makes…a statement under oath, affirmation or other legally binding assertion that the statement is true, when in fact the witness or declarant does not believe that the statement is true…is guilty of perjury.” Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 491
Essentially, anytime you lie under oath, including in an affidavit, you have opened yourself to legal charges for perjury in Oklahoma City.
Defenses
There are two defenses to a perjury charge, if you choose not to plead guilty at the outset.
First, you can argue that the statement was not actually false. Second, you can argue that you believed the statement to be true when you made it.
However, a prosecutor may bring evidence proving that you were aware of the falsity of the statement. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 499
Penalties
The penalty for perjury in Oklahoma City depends on the circumstances under which the false statement was made.
- Grand jury: Between 2 and 20 years in prison.
- Oklahoma court of justice: Between 1 and 10 years in prison.
- Any other circumstances: Five years in prison.
Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 500
Initial Consultation: Oklahoma City Criminal Defense Attorney
Committing perjury in Oklahoma City may seem like no big deal, but you can actually face steep penalties.
If you’ve been accused of a crime, call the Criminal Defense Law Office of Oklahoma City at 405- 588-4529 (588-4LAW).
If you prefer, send your question directly to an Oklahoma criminal defense attorney by using the contact form at the top right side of this page.
All inquiries are confidential. Also, your first consultation is low-cost.