New York Penal Law 210.45: Making a punishable false written statement
In the state of New York, penal code 210.45 deals with perjuring yourself under oath. Most people are familiar with perjury in the context of live courtroom testimony. While this is certainly a common type of perjury, people can also perjure themselves in writing. For example, people can be found guilty of making punishable false written statements if they provide false information to the police. In such a case, it isn’t inconceivable that the defendant might also face a charge of obstruction of justice. Importantly, the alleged liar doesn’t have to physically write the entire statement to face this type of perjury charge. On the contrary, signing a dictated criminal complaint can qualify as perjury under New York law. Although lying in a signed affidavit can violate 210.45, this charge is usually leveled against people who sign false criminal complaints. Along with the law against obstruction of justice, 210.45 is an important tool for ensuring that police are not hindered in their efforts to protect the public.
Examples
Sometimes, police officers are charged with violating 210.45. Examples include:
