Sec. 2. (a) A person who:
(1) knowingly or intentionally induces, by threat, coercion, false statement, or offer of goods, services, or anything of value, a witness or informant in a legal proceeding or an administrative or criminal investigation to:
(A) withhold or unreasonably delay in producing any testimony, information, document, or thing;
(B) avoid legal process summoning the person to testify or supply evidence; or
(C) absent the person from a proceeding or investigation to which the person has been legally summoned;
(2) knowingly or intentionally in a legal proceeding or an administrative or criminal investigation:
(A) withholds or unreasonably delays in producing any testimony, information, document, or thing after a court orders the person to produce the testimony, information, document, or thing;
(B) avoids legal process summoning the person to testify or supply evidence; or
(C) absents the person from a proceeding or investigation to which the person has been legally summoned;
(3) alters, damages, or removes any record, document, or thing, with intent to prevent it from being produced or used as evidence in any legal proceeding or administrative or criminal investigation;
(4) makes, presents, or uses a false record, document, or thing with intent that the record, document, or thing, material to the point in question, appear in evidence in a legal proceeding or an administrative or criminal investigation to mislead a public servant; or
(5) communicates, directly or indirectly, with a juror otherwise than as authorized by law, with intent to influence the juror regarding any matter that is or may be brought before the juror;
commits obstruction of justice, a Level 6 felony, except as provided in subsection (b).
(b) Except as provided in subsection (e), the offense described in subsection (a) is a Level 5 felony if, during the investigation or pendency of a domestic violence or child abuse case under subsection (c), a person knowingly or intentionally:
(1) offers, gives, or promises any benefit to;
(2) communicates a threat as defined by IC 35-45-2-1(c) to; or
(3) intimidates, unlawfully influences, or unlawfully persuades;
any witness to abstain from attending or giving testimony at any hearing, trial, deposition, probation, or other criminal proceeding or from giving testimony or other statements to a court or law enforcement officer under IC 35-31.5-2-185.
(c) As used in this section, "domestic violence or child abuse case" means any case involving an allegation of:
(1) the commission of a crime involving domestic or family violence under IC 35-31.5-2-76 involving a family or household member under IC 35-31.5-2-128;
(2) the commission of a crime of domestic violence under IC 35-31.5-2-78 involving a family or household member under IC 35-31.5-2-128; or
(3) physical abuse, sexual abuse, or child neglect, including crimes listed under IC 35-31.5-2-76 involving a victim who was less than eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the offense, whether or not the person is a family or household member under IC 35-31.5-2-128.
(d) Subsection (a)(2)(A) does not apply to:
(1) a person who qualifies for a special privilege under IC 34-46-4 with respect to the testimony, information, document, or thing; or
(2) a person who, as:
(A) an attorney;
(B) a physician;
(C) a member of the clergy; or
(D) a husband or wife;
is not required to testify under IC 34-46-3-1.
(e) Subsection (b) does not apply to:
(1) an attorney;
(2) an investigator;
(3) a law enforcement officer; or
(4) a judge;
engaged in that person's professional or official duties.
As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.502; P.L.252-2017, SEC.15; P.L.174-2021, SEC.74.