946.31(1)(1) Whoever under oath or affirmation orally makes a false material statement which the person does not believe to be true, in any matter, cause, action or proceeding, before any of the following, whether legally constituted or exercising powers as if legally constituted, is guilty of a Class D felony:
946.31(1)(d)
(d) An administrative agency or arbitrator authorized by statute to determine issues of fact;
946.31(1)(e)
(e) A notary public while taking testimony for use in an action or proceeding pending in court;
946.31(1)(f)
(f) An officer authorized to conduct inquests of the dead;
946.31(2)
(2) It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that the perjured testimony was corrected or retracted.
946.31 History
History: 1977 c. 173;
1979 c. 110.
946.31 Annotation
An arbitrator selected from a list provided by WERC is authorized by s. 111.10 to arbitrate as provided in ch. 298, 1977 stats. [now ch. 788] and so is "authorized by statute" within meaning of s. 946.31 (1) (d). Layton School of Art & Design v. WERC,
82 Wis. 2d 324,
262 N.W.2d 218.
946.31 Annotation
Perjury consists of a false statement that the defendant knew was false, was made under oath in a proceeding before a judge and was material to the proceeding. Materiality is determined by whether the trial court could have relied on the testimony in making a decision, not on whether it actually did. State v. Munz,
198 Wis. 2d 379,
541 N.W.2d 821 (Ct. App. 1995).
946.31 Annotation
A defendant may be charged with multiple counts of perjury based on testimony given in the same proceeding when each charge requires proof of an additional fact that the others do not. State v. Warren,
229 Wis. 2d 172,
599 N.W.2d 431 (Ct. App. 1999).
946.31 Annotation
An ultimate issue of fact that has been necessarily litigated cannot be relitigated although the judgment may have been influenced by the defendant's untruthful testimony. That a perjury trial would go to whether the defendant lied about the ultimate fact rather than deciding the ultimate fact itself is a distinction without a difference as proving the lie would require proving the fact itself. State v. Canon,
230 Wis. 2d 512,
602 N.W.2d 316 (Ct. App. 1999).
946.31 Annotation
Perjury prosecutions after acquittals. Shellenberger. 71 MLR 703 (1988).
946.32(1)(1) Whoever does either of the following is guilty of a Class D felony:
946.32(1)(a)
(a) Under oath or affirmation makes or subscribes a false statement which he or she does not believe is true, when such oath or affirmation is authorized or required by law or is required by any public officer or governmental agency as a prerequisite to such officer or agency taking some official action.
946.32(1)(b)
(b) Makes or subscribes 2 inconsistent statements under oath or affirmation in regard to any matter respecting which an oath or affirmation is, in each case, authorized or required by law or required by any public officer or governmental agency as a prerequisite to such officer or agency taking some official action, under circumstances which demonstrate that the witness or subscriber knew at least one of the statements to be false when made. The period of limitations within which prosecution may be commenced runs from the time of the first statement.
946.32(2)
(2) Whoever under oath or affirmation makes or subscribes a false statement which the person does not believe is true is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
946.32 History
History: 1977 c. 173;
1993 a. 486.
946.32 Annotation
This section also applies to oral statements. The mere fact that a statement is permitted by law does not mean it is "authorized by law" within meaning of sub. (1) (a). State v. Devitt,
82 Wis. 2d 262,
262 N.W.2d 73.
946.32 Annotation
The reference to the statute of limitations under sub. (1) (b) does not make it an element of the offense. The statute of limitations is an affirmative defense and is subject to tolling under s. 939.74. State v. Slaughter,
200 Wis. 2d 190,
546 N.W.2d 490 (Ct. App. 1996).
946.32 Annotation
What is to be "authorized or required" under sub. (1) (b) is the oath itself not the matter respecting which the oath is taken. State v. Slaughter,
200 Wis. 2d 190,
546 N.W.2d 490 (Ct. App. 1996).
INTERFERENCE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
946.40
946.40
Refusing to aid officer. 946.40(1)
(1) Whoever, without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails, upon command, to aid any person known by the person to be a peace officer is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
946.40(2)
(2) This section does not apply if under the circumstances the officer was not authorized to command such assistance.
946.40 History
History: 1977 c. 173.
946.40 Annotation
Under s. 343.305 hospital personnel must administer a blood alcohol test and report the results at the request of an officer, subject to the penalty under 946.40. 68 Atty. Gen. 209.
946.40 Annotation
In certain circumstances a peace officer may command medical staff at a hospital or clinic to gather evidence from a sexual assault victim.
72 Atty. Gen. 107.
946.41
946.41
Resisting or obstructing officer. 946.41(1)
(1) Whoever knowingly resists or obstructs an officer while such officer is doing any act in an official capacity and with lawful authority, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
946.41(2)(a)
(a) "Obstructs" includes without limitation knowingly giving false information to the officer or knowingly placing physical evidence with intent to mislead the officer in the performance of his or her duty including the service of any summons or civil process.
946.41(2)(b)
(b) "Officer" means a peace officer or other public officer or public employee having the authority by virtue of the officer's or employee's office or employment to take another into custody.
946.41(2m)
(2m) Whoever violates
sub. (1) under all of the following circumstances is guilty of a Class D felony:
946.41(2m)(a)
(a) The violator gives false information or places physical evidence with intent to mislead an officer.
946.41(2m)(b)
(b) At a criminal trial, the trier of fact considers the false information or physical evidence.
946.41(2m)(c)
(c) The trial results in the conviction of an innocent person.
946.41(3)
(3) Whoever by violating this section hinders, delays or prevents an officer from properly serving or executing any summons or civil process, is civilly liable to the person injured for any actual loss caused thereby and to the officer or the officer's superior for any damages adjudged against either of them by reason thereof.
946.41 Annotation
The state must prove that the accused knew that the officer was acting in an official capacity and knew the officer was acting with lawful authority when the accused allegedly resisted or obstructed the officer. State v. Lossman,
118 Wis. 2d 526,
348 N.W.2d 159 (1984).
946.41 Annotation
A defendant's refusal to identify himself did not obstruct the officer. State v. Hamilton,
120 Wis. 2d 532,
356 N.W.2d 169 (1984).
946.41 Annotation
Knowingly providing false information with intent to mislead is obstruction as a matter of law. State v. Caldwell,
154 Wis. 2d 683,
454 N.W.2d 13 (Ct. App. 1990).
946.41 Annotation
No law allows officers to arrest for obstruction on a person's refusal to give his or her name. Mere silence is insufficient to constitute obstruction. Henes v. Morrissey,
194 Wis. 2d 339,
533 N.W.2d 802 (1995).
946.415
946.415
Failure to comply with officer's attempt to take person into custody. 946.415(2)
(2) Whoever intentionally does all of the following is guilty of a Class E felony:
946.415(2)(a)
(a) Refuses to comply with an officer's lawful attempt to take him or her into custody.
946.415(2)(b)
(b) Retreats or remains in a building or place and, through action or threat, attempts to prevent the officer from taking him or her into custody.
946.415(2)(c)
(c) While acting under
pars. (a) and
(b), remains or becomes armed with a dangerous weapon or threatens to use a dangerous weapon regardless of whether he or she has a dangerous weapon.
946.415 History
History: 1995 a. 93.
946.42(1)(a)
(a) "Custody" includes without limitation actual custody of an institution, including a secured correctional facility, as defined in
s. 938.02 (15m), a secured child caring institution, as defined in
s. 938.02 (15g), a secured group home, as defined in
s. 938.02 (15p), a secure detention facility, as defined in
s. 938.02 (16), a Type 2 child caring institution, as defined in
s. 938.02 (19r), or a juvenile portion of a county jail, or of a peace officer or institution guard and constructive custody of prisoners and juveniles subject to an order under
s. 48.366,
938.183,
938.34 (4d),
(4h) or
(4m) or
938.357 (4) or
(5) (e) temporarily outside the institution whether for the purpose of work, school, medical care, a leave granted under
s. 303.068, a temporary leave or furlough granted to a juvenile or otherwise. Under
s. 303.08 (6) it means, without limitation, that of the sheriff of the county to which the prisoner was transferred after conviction. It does not include the custody of a probationer, parolee or person on extended supervision by the department of corrections or a probation, extended supervision or parole officer or the custody of a person who has been released to aftercare supervision under
ch. 938 unless the person is in actual custody or is subject to a confinement order under
s. 973.09 (4).
946.42(1)(b)
(b) "Escape" means to leave in any manner without lawful permission or authority.
946.42(1)(c)
(c) "Legal arrest" includes without limitation an arrest pursuant to process fair on its face notwithstanding insubstantial irregularities and also includes taking a juvenile into custody under
s. 938.19.
946.42(2)
(2) A person in custody who intentionally escapes from custody under any of the following circumstances is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor:
946.42(2)(a)
(a) Pursuant to a legal arrest for or lawfully charged with or convicted of a violation of a statutory traffic regulation, a statutory offense for which the penalty is a forfeiture or a municipal ordinance.
946.42(2)(b)
(b) Lawfully taken into custody under
s. 938.19 for a violation of or lawfully alleged or adjudged under
ch. 938 to have violated a statutory traffic regulation, a statutory provision for which the penalty is a forfeiture or a municipal ordinance.
946.42(2)(c)
(c) Pursuant to a civil arrest or body execution.
946.42(3)
(3) A person in custody who intentionally escapes from custody under any of the following circumstances is guilty of a Class D felony:
946.42(3)(a)
(a) Pursuant to a legal arrest for, lawfully charged with or convicted of or sentenced for a crime.
946.42(3)(b)
(b) Lawfully taken into custody under
s. 938.19 for or lawfully alleged or adjudged under
ch. 938 to be delinquent on the basis of a violation of a criminal law.
946.42(3)(e)
(e) In custody under the circumstances described in
sub. (2) and leaves the state to avoid apprehension. Leaving the state and failing to return is prima facie evidence of intent to avoid apprehension.
946.42(3)(f)
(f) Pursuant to a legal arrest as a fugitive from justice in another state.
946.42(3)(g)
(g) Committed to the department of health and family services under
ch. 971 or
975.
946.42(4)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), a court shall impose a sentence under this section consecutive to any sentence previously imposed or which may be imposed for any crime or offense for which the person was in custody when he or she escaped.
946.42(4)(b)
(b) If the person escaped while serving a sentence to the intensive sanctions program, a court may impose a sentence under this section concurrent to the sentence to the intensive sanctions program.
946.42 History
History: 1971 c. 164 s.
89;
1975 c. 39;
1977 c. 173,
312,
354,
418;
1985 a. 320;
1987 a. 27,
238,
352;
1987 a. 403 ss.
238,
239,
256;
1989 a. 31;
1993 a. 16,
377,
385,
491;
1995 a. 27 ss.
7233m,
7233p,
9126 (19);
1995 a. 77,
154,
352,
390;
1997 a. 35,
283;
1999 a. 9.
946.42 Annotation
There is no denial of equal protection in the punishment under sub. (3) (d), 1973 stats., [now (3) (g)] of persons committed under the sex crimes law when persons civilly committed are not subject to the same statute, because although both have a need for specialized care and treatment, only defendants convicted of crimes and recommended for commitment by the H&SS [now HFS] department may be sentenced under the Sex Crimes Act, thus affording a rational basis for the disparate treatment. State v. Neutz,
69 Wis. 2d 292,
230 N.W.2d 806.
946.42 Annotation
A defendant's escape under the work-release statute was an escape under s. 946.42 (3). Brown v. State,
73 Wis. 2d 703,
245 N.W.2d 670.
946.42 Annotation
Because an individual committed under ch. 975 has not been sentenced within the meaning of sub. (4), a sentence for an escape from commitment custody need not be served consecutive to the commitment. State v. Hungerford,
76 Wis. 2d 171,
251 N.W.2d 9.
946.42 Annotation
The sentence for an escape conviction may be consecutive to a sex crime commitment. State v. Kruse,
101 Wis. 2d 387,
305 N.W.2d 85 (1981).
946.42 Annotation
It is not necessary to leave the physical boundaries of an institution to complete an act of "escape". State v. Sugden,
143 Wis. 2d 728,
422 N.W.2d 624 (1988).
946.42 Annotation
Under sub. (5) (b), 1985 stats., [now sub. (1) (a)], an individual is "in custody" once freedom of movement is restricted; one lawfully arrested may not leave without permission. State v. Adams,
152 Wis. 2d 68,
447 N.W.2d 90 (Ct. App. 1989).
946.42 Annotation
A person can be "in custody" without being under "legal arrest", but a person cannot be under "legal arrest" without being "in custody". State v. Hoffman,
163 Wis. 2d 752,
472 N.W.2d 558 (Ct. App. 1991).
946.42 Annotation
A traffic regulation under sub. (2) (a) does not include any offense punishable as a crime. State v. Beasley,
165 Wis. 2d 97,
477 N.W.2d 57 (Ct. App. 1991).
946.42 Annotation
Upon conviction of a crime, a person is in custody regardless of physical control. Leaving without the court's granting release is escape. State v. Scott,
191 Wis. 2d 146,
528 N.W.2d 46 (Ct. App. 1995).
946.42 Annotation
As used in sub. (1) (a) "medical care" includes treatment at drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. State v. Sevelin,
204 Wis. 2d 127,
554 N.W.2d 521 (Ct. App. 1996).
946.42 Annotation
Failure to return to jail while on work release from incarceration for failure to pay a municipal forfeiture is escape under this section. State v. Smith,
214 Wis. 2d 540,
571 N.W.2d 412 (Ct. App. 1997).
946.425
946.425
Failure to report to jail.
