The prospect of losing your freedom or paying thousands of dollars in fines can cause anyone to panic, and contemplate committing crimes such as witness intimidation Oklahoma City.
However, if you have a pending court case, you can’t do anything to disrupt the process from being carried out against you.
This includes trying to prevent a witness from testifying against you in any manner. This is called witness intimidation Oklahoma and is a serious crime.
About Witness Intimidation Oklahoma
Anyone can be charged with witness intimidation Oklahoma City, even if they are not a party in the underlying case. Therefore, any relative, friend, business associate or acquaintance can be charged with this felony crime.
However, in order to be convicted of this crime, a state prosecutor will have to prove that each of the following facts are true in your case:
First, that the accused acted willfully;
Second, causing/threatening/procuring/harassing;
Third, physical/mental harm;
Fourth, through force/fear;
Fifth, to a person;
Sixth, because of testimony given by the person in any civil or criminal trial or with the intent to:
1) prevent the person from appearing in court to testify or
2) make the person alter his testimony or
3) prevent or because of a report of abuse or neglect.
(Ok. Stat. Tit. 21 Sec. 455)
Consider the example of Marc is in prison awaiting trial on his rape charge. During the week before his trial, Marc’s brother, John begins sending the rape victim threatening text messages telling her that he will have her hurt if she testifies against Marc. John can be charged with witness intimidation Oklahoma if the victim notifies the prosecutor of the text messages.
Penalties for Witness Intimidation Oklahoma
A guilty verdict or plea to a crime of witness intimidation Oklahoma will result in the defendant being convicted of a felony offense. A conviction is punishable by between one and 10 years in state prison.
Note that witness intimidation Oklahoma City may lead to other charges, such as assault, battery, or stalking, all of which carry their own penalties.
Low-cost Consultation: Oklahoma City Felony Defense Attorney
A potential felony conviction is nothing to take lightly. If you’ve been accused of witness intimidation Oklahoma, an experienced attorney may be able to negotiate a lesser charge on your behalf. However, this is determined on a case-by-case basis. Make an appointment for a initial consultation to learn about your options.
For immediate assistance, 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 City felony defense attorney by using the contact form at the top right side of this page.