Rhode Island General Laws 17-23-5. Bribery or intimidation of voters – Immunity of witnesses in bribery trials
Every person who directly or indirectly gives, or offers to agree to give, to any elector or to any person for the benefit of any elector, any sum of money or other valuable consideration for the purpose of inducing the elector to give in or withhold that elector’s vote at any election in this state, or by way of reward for having voted or withheld that elector’s vote, or who uses any threat or employs any means of intimidation for the purpose of influencing the elector to vote or withhold that elector’s vote for or against any candidate or candidates or proposition pending at an election, shall be guilty of a felony, and no person after conviction of this offense, shall be permitted to vote in any election or upon any proposition pending before the people, or to hold any public office; and no evidence given by any witness testifying upon the trial of any charge of bribery shall be used against the person giving the evidence.
History of Section.
G.L. 1896, ch. 14, § 3; P.L. 1907, ch. 1428, § 1; G.L. 1909, ch. 20, § 3; G.L. 1923, ch. 19, § 3; P.L. 1936 (s.s.), ch. 2468, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 325, § 5; G.L. 1956, § 17-23-5; P.L. 1958, ch. 18, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 201, § 13.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 17-23-5
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.