NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1975 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 806

SENATE BILL 835

 

 

AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLE 30 OF CHAPTER 14 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES TO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE BY INTERFERING WITH EVIDENCE.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Article 30 of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes is hereby amended by adding thereto a new section, G.S. 14-221.1, to read as follows:

"§ 14-221.1.  Altering, destroying, or stealing evidence of criminal conduct. — Any person who breaks or enters any building, structure, compartment, vehicle, file, cabinet, drawer, or any other enclosure wherein evidence relevant to any criminal offense or court proceeding is kept or stored with the purpose of altering, destroying or stealing such evidence; or any person who alters, destroys, or steals any evidence relevant to any criminal offense or court proceeding, shall be guilty of a felony punishable by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both."

Sec. 2.  As used in this act, the word evidence shall mean any Article or document in the possession of a law enforcement officer or officer of the General Court of Justice being retained for the purpose of being introduced in evidence or having been introduced in evidence or being preserved as evidence.

Sec. 3.  This act shall become effective on July 1, 1975, but shall not apply to any act consummated prior to the effective date of this act.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 24th day of June, 1975.