PRINTER'S NO. 277
No. 275 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY HAGER, GEKAS, GREENLEAF, PECORA, MOORE, TILGHMAN
AND ANDREWS, FEBRUARY 20, 1979
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 20, 1979
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the proof of
3 perjury.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Subsections (e) and (f) of section 4902, act of
7 November 25, 1970 (P.L.707, No.230), known as the Pennsylvania
8 Consolidated Statutes, are amended to read:
9 § 4902. Perjury.
10 * * *
11 (e) [Inconsistent ] Irreconcilably contradictory
12 statements.--Where the defendant made [inconsistent]
13 irreconcilably contradictory statements under oath or equivalent
14 affirmation, both having been made within the period of the
15 statute of limitations, the prosecution may proceed by setting
16 forth the [inconsistent] irreconcilably contradictory statements
17 in a single count alleging in the alternative that one or the
18 other was false and not believed by the defendant. In such case
1 it shall not be necessary for the prosecution to prove which
2 statement was false but only that irreconcilably contradictory
3 statements were made and one or the other was [false and] not
4 believed by the defendant to be true.
5 (f) [Corroboration.--In any prosecution under this section,
6 except under subsection (e) of this section, falsity of a
7 statement may not be established by the uncorroborated testimony
8 of a single witness.] Proof.--Proof beyond a reasonable doubt
9 under this section is sufficient for conviction. It shall not be
10 necessary that such proof be made by any particular number of
11 witnesses or by documentary or other type of evidence.
12 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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