Source: https://www.shouselaw.com/bribery-officers.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 16:54:18+00:00

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It doesn't matter if you're a police chief, a district attorney, a traffic clerk or a building inspector. In California, if you are a public official or employee and take a payoff in the course of your job you can be convicted of the crime of bribery.
This is a serious offense that can land you in jail.
But bribery charges can be a complicated and there are two sides to every story. If you're accused of bribery you need an experienced attorney. Our California Criminal Defense Lawyers can help.1 We're former prosecutors and police investigators and we know how to defend these complex cases.
This article covers California Penal Code 67 pc and Penal Code 68 pc, two of California's bribery laws. If you have questions after reading it, please give us a call at Shouse Law Group for a consultation.
Bribery goes both ways...a person can be convicted of offering a bribe to an officer or public employee; and an officer or public employee can be convicted of soliciting or receiving a bribe.
Example: Anthony runs a tomato canning company in California's central valley. A food safety inspector just quarantined a large portion of his inventory for containing mold and worms. Anthony secures a meeting with the top state food safety official. During the meeting, he slides an envelope across the desk, telling the official he's got a "present" for him. The official raises his eyebrows and Anthony continues: "now you can release my cans from the brink."
Generally, an officer will be considered "executive" if he/she has discretion in his/her job and "ministerial" if he/she basically just follows his/her boss' instructions.
Example: Defendant is a traffic clerk at a California courthouse. Last Wednesday, Rosalie, a familiar face appeared at the window...a friend of a friend from the neighborhood. When Rosalie presented a ticket for $220, Defendant smiled and said, in a low voice, "forget that, I can make it go away for $50." Rosalie smiles and passes a $50 bill though the window. Defendant stamps her citation Recalled.
It's often difficult to mount a successful defense in bribery cases and it often comes down to which side the jury believes. That's why it is so important to have a California criminal defense attorney you can trust in your corner.
Except in certain situations, bribery is a felony. You can be sentenced to county jail for between two and four years.
You will also have to forfeit your office and you will not be able to get it back.
If you or loved one is charged with Penal Code 67 & 68 pc bribery of public officers and you are looking to hire an attorney for representation, we invite you to contact us at Shouse Law Group. We can provide a free consultation in office or by phone. We have local offices in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, Long Beach, Orange County, Ventura, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Diego, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and throughout California.
If you are a cop being investigated, see our article on internal affairs investigations.
To learn about Nevada law, go to our informational article on Nevada laws for bribery by or of executive officers or public employees.
1Our California Criminal Defense Lawyers have local offices throughout the state, including Beverly Hills, Burbank, Glendale, Lancaster, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Pomona, Torrance, Van Nuys, West Covina, and Whittier.
2See California Penal Code sections 85 and 86, dealing with bribery of legislators.
3See California Penal Code sections 92 and 93 dealing with bribery of judges, judicial officers and jurors.
7California Penal Code 7(6) provides that: "The word 'bribe' signifies anything of value or advantage, present or prospective, or any promise or undertaking to give any, asked, given, or accepted, with a corrupt intent to influence, unlawfully, the person to whom it is given, in his or her action, vote, or opinion, in any public or official capacity." Penal Code Section 7(3) provides that: "The word 'corruptly' imports a wrongful design to acquire or cause some pecuniary or other advantage to the person guilty of the act or omission referred to, or to some other person."
8California Penal Code Section 67.5 PC -- ("(a) Every person who gives or offers as a bribe to any ministerial officer, employee, or appointee of the State of California, county or city therein, or political subdivision thereof, any thing the theft of which would be petty theft is guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) If the theft of the thing given or offered would be grand theft the offense is a felony punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170.").
9Singh v. Superior Court (1919) 44 Cal.App. 64.
10People v. Finkelstein (1950) 98 C.A.2d 545.
12People v. Strohl, supra, 57 C.A.3d 347.
13Loosely based on People v. Zerillo (1950) 36 Cal.2d 222 [evidence sufficient for bribery finding but defendant should be allowed to introduce other evidence showing no corrupt intent]. See also People v. Strohl (1976) 57 C.A.3d 347.
15People v. Walsh (1956) 47 Cal.2d 36.
17Loosely based on People v. Diamond (1988) 201 Cal.App.3d 1305. See also People v. Gaio, (2000) 81 Cal.App.4th 919.

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