Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

criminal

D.A. wants me to be a witness in a criminal case.They already put me in jail when they tried to find out whatv happened.I did'nt know anything that was useful.But 6 months later there taking these people to court and want me to appearc as there witness.Can they threaten me with jail if i don't say anything?


Asked on 5/14/09, 5:11 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Joe Dane Law Office of Joe Dane

Re: criminal

If you are properly served with a subpoena, you must appear in court to testify. If you fail to show, you can be arrested. If you show up to court, but refuse to answer questions, you can be held in contempt.

It sounds like there's something more to this story and you may have Fifth Amendment issues. If that's the case, you should consult with a criminal defense attorney before answering any questions. Otherwise, any testimony you give, if it implicates you, can be used against you to prosecute you for any role you played in this case.

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Answered on 5/14/09, 7:28 pm


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