Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:129 – Jury tampering
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:129
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Juror: A person who is on the jury.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
- Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
A. Jury tampering is any verbal or written communication or attempted communication, whether direct or indirect, made to any juror in a civil or criminal cause, including both grand and petit jurors, for the purpose of influencing the juror in respect to his verdict or indictment in any cause pending or about to be brought before him, otherwise than in the regular course of proceedings upon the trial or other determination of such cause. To constitute the offense of jury tampering, the influencing or attempt to influence the juror must be either:
(1) For a corrupt or fraudulent purpose, or
(2) By violence or force, by threats whether direct or indirect.
B.(1) Whoever commits the crime of jury tampering in a civil case shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars, or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than five years, or both.
(2) Whoever commits the crime of jury tampering in a criminal case shall be punished as follows:
(a) If the offense charged in the trial for which the jury has been impaneled is punishable by death or life imprisonment, the offender shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not more than ninety-nine years.
(b) In all other cases the offender shall be fined or imprisoned, or both, to the same extent and in the same manner as for the offense charged in the trial for which the jury has been impaneled.
Amended by Acts 1968, No. 60, §1; Acts 1981, No. 866, §1; Acts 1995, No. 823, §1; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 128, §5.