Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-147

Current with legislation from the 2023 Regular and Special Sessions.

Section 53a-147 - Bribery: Class C felony

(a) A person is guilty of bribery if he promises, offers, confers or agrees to confer upon a public servant or a person selected to be a public servant, any benefit as consideration for the recipient's decision, opinion, recommendation or vote as a public servant or a person selected to be a public servant.

(b) Bribery is a class C felony.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-147

(1969, P.A. 828, S. 149; P.A. 80-479, S. 2; P.A. 03-259, S. 46.)

Offense of offering gratuity requires element of proof, specific intent, which is not needed to prove greater offense of bribery; it is no defense for crime of bribery that police officer had no authority to take action desired by bribe given; covers crime of bribery in broad terms and is not limited to administration of justice and attempts to influence legislation. 172 Conn. 458. Sec. 29-9 is not lesser included offense to this charge, and acceptance of guilty plea to said section was nullity. Id., 608. Cited. 1 Conn.App. 524; 5 CA 125; 9 CA 15; 14 CA 322; 21 Conn.App. 386. The term "offer" is undefined, but section language is similar to federal bribery statute, 18 USC 201(b), and, under federal law, a bribery conviction must be based on more than evidence of mere preparation, but must progress to the point that defendant made an offer that consisted of an expression of a desire and an ability to pay the public official for performing a proscribed act. 156 CA 650.