2C:29-8 Corrupting or Influencing a Jury NJ

2C:29-8 Corrupting or Influencing a Jury

2C:29-8. Corrupting or influencing a jury Corrupting or Influencing a Jury. Any person who, directly or indirectly, corrupts, influences or attempts to corrupt or influence a jury or juror to be more favorable to the one side than to the other by promises, persuasions, entreaties, threats, letters, money, entertainment or other sinister means; or any person who employs any unfair or fraudulent practice, art or contrivance to obtain a verdict, or attempts to instruct a jury or juror beforehand at any place or time, or in any manner or way, except in open court at the trial of the cause, by the strength of the evidence, the arguments of the parties or their counsel, or the opinion or charge of the court is guilty of a crime. Corrupting or influencing a jury is a crime of the second degree if it is committed by means of violence or the threat of violence. Otherwise, it is a crime of the third degree, provided, however, that the presumption of nonimprisonment set forth in subsection e. of 2C:44-1 for persons who have not previously been convicted of an offense shall not apply. L. 1981, c. 290, s. 33, eff. Sept. 24, 1981. Amended by L. 1986, c. 140, s. 1, eff. Nov. 6, 1986. NJSA 2C:29-8.1