Law Dictionary

subornation of perjury

crim. law. The procuring another to commit legal perjury, who in consequence of the persuasion takes the oath to which be has been incited. Hawk. B. 1, c. 69, s. 10.

2. To complete the offence, the false oath must be actually taken, and no abortive attempt (q. v.) to solicit will complete the crime. Vide To Dissuade; To persuade.

3. But the criminal solicitation to commit perjury, though unsuccessful, is a misdemeanor at common law. 2 East, Rep. 17; 6 East, R. 464; 2 Chit. Crim. Law, 317; 20 Vin. Ab. 20. For a form of an indictment for an attempt to suborn a person to commit perjury, vide 2 Chit. Cr. Law, 480; Vin. Ab. h. t.

4. The act of congress of March 3, 1825, §13, provides, that if any person shall knowingly or wilfully procure any such perjury, mentioned in the act, to be committed, every such person so offending, shall be guilty of subornation of perjury, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding five years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

Source : Bouvier 1856

Language : English

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