Perjury Examples

 

Examples of Perjury

There are many ways a person could perjure themselves. In its simplest form, a person commits the crime either in statements made under oath or signed documents. Here are some examples:

• While completing a sworn affidavit during a bankruptcy court proceeding, John intentionally understates his monthly income by Rs.2,000. John knows he has underreported the income. He signs the printed document and files it with the judge's clerk.

• Mary is a suspect facing criminal charges. Jill is sworn in and testifies in the criminal case trial. She states that her friend, Mary, was having lunch at her house when the crime occurred. Credit card receipts and mobile phone records say otherwise. The alibi claim is central to Mary's defense.

• Frank omits the Rs.15,000 he won at a casino from his federal income tax return. It's not a mistake. Frank intends to hide his winnings. He signs and sends the return to the IRS.

In all these examples, evidence of the crime of perjury comes to light when testimony or signed statements directly conflict with verifiable information. For example, authorities may investigate John's conduct, which understated his monthly income in bankruptcy court. When his employer's payroll records show a higher income, he may face perjury charges. The state will claim he provided false information on a sworn statement.

Since witnesses and others involved in legal proceedings may unintentionally provide false testimony in good faith, prosecutors must proceed with caution. They must be able to prove the intent to deceive or mislead. For example, a witness to a robbery testifies that the suspect had green eyes and a scar on his left cheek. Yet, other evidence points to a suspect with blue eyes and a scar on his right cheek. If the witness was not trying to protect the assailant by lying about key facts, she has not committed perjury. Her hazy memory of the incident should not become the basis of a criminal offense.