Obstruction of justice; exception
Sec. 4. (a) A person who:
(1) knowingly or intentionally induces, by threat, coercion, or
false statement, a witness or informant in an official proceeding
or investigation to:
(A) withhold or unreasonably delay in producing any
testimony, information, document, or thing;
(B) avoid legal process summoning him to testify or supply
evidence; or
(C) absent himself from a proceeding or investigation to
which he has been legally summoned;
(2) knowingly or intentionally in an official criminal proceeding
or investigation:
(A) withholds or unreasonably delays in producing any
testimony, information, document, or thing after a court
orders him to produce the testimony, information, document,
or thing;
(B) avoids legal process summoning him to testify or supply
evidence; or
(C) absents himself from a proceeding or investigation to
which he has been legally summoned;
(3) alters, damages, or removes any record, document, or thing,
with intent to prevent it from being produced or used as
evidence in any official proceeding or investigation;
(4) makes, presents, or uses a false record, document, or thing
with intent that the record, document, or thing, material to the
point in question, appear in evidence in an official proceeding
or investigation to mislead a public servant; or
(5) communicates, directly or indirectly, with a juror otherwise
than as authorized by law, with intent to influence the juror
regarding any matter that is or may be brought before the juror;
commits obstruction of justice, a Class D felony.
(b) Subdivision (a)(2)(A) does not apply to:
(1) a person who qualifies for a special privilege under
IC 34-46-4 with respect to the testimony, information,
document, or thing; or
(2) a person who, as an:
(A) attorney;
(B) physician;
(C) member of the clergy; or
(D) husband or wife;
is not required to testify under IC 34-46-3-1.
As added by Acts 1976, P.L.148, SEC.4. Amended by Acts 1977,
P.L.340, SEC.62; Acts 1981, P.L.301, SEC.2; Acts 1982, P.L.195,
SEC.3; P.L.1-1998, SEC.197.
Last modified: May 24, 2006