Opinion ID: 2623133
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Requirement of `Actual Testimony'

Text: Our question on certiorari requires us to determine what the prosecution must prove to sustain a conviction under subsection (1)(a) of the statute. The court of appeals concluded that there must be evidence of an attempt to interfere with actual testimony, which it defined as testimony anticipated to be offered at a hearing, trial, or other proceeding where witnesses would be sworn. Cunefare, 85 P.3d at 596. In reaching this conclusion, the court of appeals relied upon People v. Moyer, 670 P.2d 785 (Colo.1983), and People v. Scialabba, 55 P.3d 207 (Colo.App.2002). In Moyer, the defendant was charged with charitable fraud and witness tampering by grand jury indictment. 670 P.2d at 786-87. The witness tampering charge arose out of the defendant's statement to a potential witness notifying her that if she appeared before the grand jury he would sue her, and any others who appeared, for perjury. Id. at 788. The witness did testify before the grand jury, and also related the defendant's attempt to influence her not to do so. Id. at 790-91. The trial court dismissed the charge for lack of probable cause, and this court reversed, concluding that the statements attributed to the defendant were designed to obstruct justice and were within the ambit of the statute. Id. at 792. In Scialabba, the defendant was charged with assault against the victim and was prohibited from communicating with her. 55 P.3d at 208. The evidence established he wrote a letter and mailed it to the victim's address. Although the defendant used a different name for the victim (which he had used in the past), she believed the letter was intended for her. Id. The letter stated that if she were not to appear in court on the assault charges, the charges would be dropped, thereby making things good with him. Id. A month later, the defendant asked his mother to contact the victim and tell her not to appear in court. Id. at 211. The People added a count of witness tampering to the charges and the jury returned a verdict of guilty on that count. The defendant appealed, arguing in pertinent part that he should have been entitled to an abandonment instruction on the tampering charge. Id. at 210. The court of appeals disagreed, holding that the crime of tampering is an intentional attempt to interfere with a witness, without regard to the success or failure of the attempt. Therefore, the crime was complete when the attempt was made. In both Moyer and Scialabba, the witnesses actually testified. However, there is nothing in either case that requires such testimony as an element of tampering. To the contrary, both cases reaffirm the precept that the crime of tampering arises out of the intentional attempt to interfere with a witness's testimony.