Section 524.040 - Intimidating a participant in the legal process(1) A person is guilty of intimidating a participant in the legal process when, by use of harassing communications as described in KRS 525.080, physical force, or a threat directed to a person he or she believes to be a participant in the legal process, he or she:(a) Influences, or attempts to influence, the testimony, vote, decision, or opinion of that person;(b) Induces, or attempts to induce, that person to avoid legal process summoning him or her to testify;(c) Induces, or attempts to induce, that person to absent himself or herself from an official proceeding to which he has been legally summoned;(d) Induces, or attempts to induce, that person to withhold a record, document, or other object from an official proceeding;(e) Induces, or attempts to induce, that person to alter, destroy, mutilate, or conceal an object with intent to impair the object's integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding; or(f) Hinders, delays, or prevents the communication to a law enforcement officer or judge of information relating to the possible commission of an offense or a violation of conditions of probation, parole or release pending judicial proceedings.(2) For purposes of this section: (a) An official proceeding need not be pending or about to be instituted at the time of the offense; and(b) The testimony, record, document, or other object need not be admissible in evidence or free of a claim of privilege.(3) Intimidating a participant in the legal process is a Class D felony.(4) In order for a person to be convicted of a violation of this section, the act against a participant in the legal process or the immediate family of a participant in the legal process shall be related to the performance of a duty or role played by the participant in the legal process.Amended by 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 174,§ 41, eff. 7/15/2024.Effective:7/15/2002
Amended 2002, Ky. Acts ch. 251, sec. 2, effective7/15/2002. -- Amended 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 212, sec. 5, effective 7/15/1986. -- Created 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 406, sec. 203, effective 1/1/1975.