Swearing

[Doc Tinker]

What would happen if you said "No" when you are sworn in at court. You know: "do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"



Doc

 

[The patriot]

I suppose you might get a contempt charge slapped on you.

Vaughn (Merryman)would know... .

Eric

 

[parcher]

If you wanted to play hardball, just question why they are asking you to swear in a Bible in court. Make a stink about the "seperation of church and state" . A friend of mine did this thinking it would help him out of traffic problem, the court has an alternative oath for such wiseguys.

 

[lmills]

I remember hearing something about the alternate oath also. I am not sure of how it is worded though.

 

[klenger]

I don't think they do the swear on the Bible thing that much any more. Now it's just "do you swear to tell the truth... " Since you took an oath, if they find out you were lying, they can prosecute you for contempt. If you didn't take an oath, you could just say "I was just kidding".

 

[Shovelhead]

Originally posted by lmills

I remember hearing something about the alternate oath also. I am not sure of how it is worded though.

I always thought the alternate was:

"Cross my heart and hope to die,

Stick a needle in my eye"?

 

[illflem]

I had to testify in court a few years ago in Washington state, there was no bible and I only had to say yes to, "do you affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" I was surprised they also had taken the word swear out it, guess they should change the name to affirming in.

Nowadays the threat of being charged with perjury carries more weight for some people than being struck down by the hand of God.

A needle in the eye might be a good deterrent to lying though.

 

[lschultz]

I have never been sworn in in court so I can not answer that question Doc. But no is something I say fairly often even though I should say yes. Or is it maybe. You've me Doc

 

[merryman]

The paragraph long oath that was in use when I went on the bench in the '60s had always struck me as archiac and combersom; I changed it to ,"do you swear or affirm that you will tell the truth?"



In more trials than I can possibly remember, I never had anyone say "no". A few people needed to have it pointed out to them that it offerred an alternative swear OR affirm.



Sure had plenty that I suspected had no respect for the oath.



Had one dim bulb woman in an arson case testify in defendant "A's" trial that that def. A was asleep in the rear seat and another guy who would be comming to trial in a few weeks did it. "A" was convicted anyway.



When the other guy, defendat "B" came to trial, she testified that "B" was asleep in the back seat and "A" did it. B too was convicted also.

Then the DA charged the goofy woman with perjury and all three went to the joint.



Vaughn

 

[daveshoe]

G G Liddy

Gordon Liddy ''Just said no'' when asked [according to him-- not confirmed by research] . Any body out there that can confirm my memory of this?

BTW he was already in jail and simply returned to his cell.

 

[The patriot]

Re: G G Liddy

Originally posted by daveshoe

Gordon Liddy ''Just said no'' when asked [according to him-- not confirmed by research] . Any body out there that can confirm my memory of this?

BTW he was already in jail and simply returned to his cell.

I seem to remember something like that, but a little different.

I thought that he was taken out of his cell to be asked questions, he was asked "Do you have anything to tell us?" and his answer was "No!". He then told them that he did have one thing to say. He said "You owe a lunch"... . since this happened at lunch time.

Maybe I'm wrong... .

This was in the book "Will".

Eric

 

[wcaldwell]

How about, "Will I be allowed to tell the whole truth or only as much of the truth as the Defending (or Prosecuting) Attorney will allow me to tell" or "Do you want to hear the whole truth or the truth the defense (or prosecution) wants you to hear?"



I think either one would allow me to meet new friends - in the grey-bar inn.



Wayne