Legal Question in Criminal Law in California
someone who has accused me agrees to say he was lying if I pay him. He is willing to sign paperwork saying he was lying. If he does this, can he then change his mind and successfully accuse me again??
3 Answers from Attorneys
What he can do is to go to the police and accuse you of attempted bribery and attempting to dissuade a witness from testifying. Not a good idea.
I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Dinday. Do NOT take this man's offer. Tell your lawyer about it and your lawyer can figure out a way to "document" the offer. Evidence that his testimony is "for sale" can be very useful for you later on, but "buying it" is not an option.
Mr. Dinday and Ms. O'Connor are right. My sense is that you were the one who proposed this idea, since you say that the other person "agreed" to do this and not that he "offered". You may already be in deep trouble, but if you go through with the deal it will get worse. In addition to bribery and witness tampering, you may end up suborning perjury and interfering with a police investigation.
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