Witness tampering

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Witness tampering is the act of attempting to alter or prevent the testimony of witnesses within criminal or civil proceedings. Laws regarding witness tampering also apply to proceedings before the U.S. Congress, executive departments, and administrative agencies. To be charged with witness tampering in the United States, the attempt to alter or prevent testimony is sufficient. There is no requirement that the intended obstruction of justice be completed.[1]

In situations where intimidation or retaliation against witnesses is likely (such as cases involving organized crime), witnesses may be placed in witness protection to prevent suspects or their colleagues from intimidating or harming them.


United States

In the United States, the crime of witness tampering in federal cases is defined by statute at 18 U.S.C. § 1512, which defines it as "tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant." The punishment for such an offense is up to 20 years if physical force was used, attempted, or threatened. The tampering need not have actually been successful in order for it to be criminal.

One of the better known cases involving Section 1512 is Arthur Andersen LLP v. United States, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in May 2005. The Supreme Court ruled that Section 1512 had been misinterpreted by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and reversed the decision of the lower court which had found the firm guilty of violating the section. The issue had, to some extent, become moot, because in 2002 the firm had all but dissolved as a result of prosecution on this criminal charge.


England and Wales

In England and Wales, witness intimidation by unlawful means, such as violence, bribery, threats, or improper pressure, is known as Perverting the course of justice.



By prosecutors

A current source of controversy is the lack of penalties for prosecutors who commit witness tampering or other forms of prosecutorial misconduct. In the United States, prosecutors have full immunity from civil liability regardless of how egregious their actions may be. However, prosecutors do not have immunity from criminal proceedings and can be professionally censured, but studies demonstrate that this rarely happens.[3]

In March 2003, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled against a man named Shareef Cousin, who filed a lawsuit against New Orleans prosecutors after he was wrongfully convicted of the 1995 murder of Michael Gerardi. A number of examples of witness tampering during the trial were uncovered. In court, a friend of Cousin's was expected to testify for the prosecution that Cousin had confessed to him. Instead, he told jurors that he had been promised leniency in his own trial if he would falsely implicate Cousin for the murder. An eyewitness then testified that she saw Cousin commit the murder. Her original statement to police indicated that she had very poor vision and could not identify the killer. Her statements regarding her vision were not disclosed to the defense. Cousin also accused the state of illegally detaining many of his witnesses to prevent them from testifying in his defense.[4]

See also


  1. ^ "1729. Protection of Government Processes—Tampering with Victims, Witnesses, or Informants—18 U.S.C. § 1512". Justice.gov. Retrieved 7 February 2014. 
  2. ^ "Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994". legislation.gov.uk. 
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