Source: https://billhaneylaw.com/practice-areas/requesting-or-taking-a-bribe-penal-code-section-68/
Timestamp: 2020-07-05 16:13:22
Document Index: 16614515

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 4', '§ 68', '§ 29800']

Requesting or Taking a Bribe – Penal Code Section 68 - Bill Haney Law
California law punishes government officials who request or take bribes in exchange for influencing their decisions.
The defendant served as an executive or ministerial government official;
The defendant requested, accepted or agreed to accept, a bribe;
The defendant indicated he would compromise his official duty2;
The defendant acted with a corrupt intent to compromise his official duty.3
What is a “bribe”? A bribe can mean:
Contest the Offering or Acceptance of a Bribe. Defense counsel should aggressively challenge the nature of the alleged offering, and whether it was actually requested or received. All police reports, audio recordings, and other documents should be closely scrutinized to challenge the accuracy of the state’s case.
No “Corrupt Intent.” The circumstances may not clearly establish that the government official truly had a corrupt intent. The relationship between the parties should be closely examined.
Challenge the involvement of an official act. The State’s case may lack sufficient evidence that the offering was designed to influence the employee’s official act or decision. For example, the defendant and the person offering the alleged bribe may be friends or socialize together. The complexity of their relationship and social dealings might undermine the state’s assertion that money or favors were exchanged in order to influence an official act.
Entrapment. Bribery investigations are often based upon law enforcement “sting operations.” An undercover law enforcement agent will sometimes approach a government official to determine whether he or she is willing to accepting a bribe. A person is “entrapped” by law enforcement investigators if the agent engages in conduct that would cause a normally law-abiding person to commit the crime.6
A prison sentence of 2, 3, or 4 years.
Probation may only be granted if the court finds the matter to be an unusual case where the interests of justice favor probation.8 If probation is granted, the court may order a local jail sentence of up to 1 year.
A restitution fine ranging from $2,000 and $10,000. If the bribe was received, however, the restitution fine can amount to double the amount of the bribe received or $10,000, whichever is greater.
Lifetime ban from holding public office.9
Lifetime ban from owning a firearm10
1See Penal Code Section. (b) In imposing a restitution fine pursuant to this section, the court shall consider the defendant’s ability to pay the fine.”
2The indication may be express or implied.
3Judicial Council of California Criminal Jury Instructions (CALCRIM) No. 2603
4CALCRIM 2603; See also Penal Code § 7(6).
5CALCRIM 2603; See Penal Code § 7: See also Penal Code § 7(4), defining “corruptly.”
6CALCRIM No. 3408.
7People v. Hallner (1954) 54 Cal.2d 715
8Penal Code Section 1203(e)(7); See also California Rules of Court § 4.413
9Penal Code § 68.
10Penal Code § 29800(a)(1),