Opinion ID: 2623133
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Background of Section 18-8-707

Text: In the companion case of People v. Yascavage, No. 03SC559, 101 P.3d 1090, 2004 WL 2711049 (Colo.2004), we concluded that the general assembly intended section 18-8-707 as a whole to criminalize a wide range of activities related to interference with a witness or victim of a crime. We also held that each subsection of 18-8-707 presents an independent objective prohibited under the Tampering statute. Therefore, to sustain a conviction under section 18-8-707, the subject of the defendant's influence must be a person encompassed by the introductory provision and the defendant's objective must be prohibited in subsection (1)(a), (b), or (c) of section 18-8-707. A witness covered by the statute is not just someone who is subject to legal process. Rather, witness means any natural person: (a) Having knowledge of the existence or non-existence of facts relating to any crime; (b) Whose declaration under oath is received or has been received as evidence for any purpose; (c) Who has reported any crime to any peace officer, correctional officer, or judicial officer; (d) Who has been served with a subpoena issued under the authority of any court in this state, of any other state, or of the United States; or (e) Who would be believed by any reasonable person to be an individual described in paragraph (a), (b), (c), or (d) of this subsection (2). § 18-8-702(2) (emphasis added). Therefore, the introductory portion of the statute contains no limitation that would require proof that the witness or victim be under legal process. Section 18-8-707 then creates three distinct forms of witness tampering, each with different elements required for a conviction. Section 18-8-707(1)(a) prohibits the defendant from inducing or attempting to induce a witness or victim to testify falsely or unlawfully withhold any testimony. Section 18-8-707(1)(b) prohibits the defendant from inducing or attempting to induce a witness or victim to absent himself from any proceeding to which he has been legally summoned; and section 18-8-707(1)(c) prohibits the defendant from inducing or attempting to induce a witness or victim to avoid legal process summoning him to testify.