18 USC 3 - Sec. 3. Accessory after the fact
18 USC - U.S. Code - Title 18: Crimes and Criminal Procedure (January 2004)
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Whoever, knowing that an offense against the United States has been committed, receives, relieves, comforts or assists the offender in order to hinder or prevent his apprehension, trial or punishment, is an accessory after the fact. Except as otherwise expressly provided by any Act of Congress, an accessory after the fact shall be imprisoned not more than one-half the maximum term of imprisonment or (notwithstanding section 3571) fined not more than one-half the maximum fine prescribed for the punishment of the principal, or both; or if the principal is punishable by life imprisonment or death, the accessory shall be imprisoned not more than 15 years.
Historical And Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 551 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, Sec. 333, 35 Stat. 1152). The first paragraph is new. It is based upon authority of Skelly v. United States (C. C. A. Okl. 1935, 76 F. 2d 483, certiorari denied, 1935, 55 S. Ct. 914, 295 U.S. 757, 79 L. Ed. 1699), where the court defined an accessory after the fact as - one who knowing a felony to have been committed by another, receives, relieves, comforts, or assists the felon in order to hinder the felon's apprehension, trial, or punishment - and cited Jones' Blackstone, books 3 and 4, page 2204; U.S. v. Hartwell (Fed. Cas. No. 15,318); Albritton v. State (32 Fla. 358, 13 So. 955); State v. Davis (14 R. I. 281); Schleeter v. Commonwealth (218 Ky. 72, 290 S. W. 1075). (See also State v. Potter, 1942, 221 N. C. 153, 19 S. E. 2d 257; Hunter v. State, 1935, 128 Tex. Cr. R. 191, 79 S. W. 2d 855; State v. Wells, 1940, 195 La. 754, 197 So. 419.) The second paragraph is from section 551 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Here only slight changes were made in phraseology.
AMENDMENTS 1994 - Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(2)(A), inserted "(notwithstanding section 3571)" before "fined not more than one-half" in second par. Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330011(h), amended directory language of Pub. L. 101-647, Sec. 3502. See 1990 Amendment note below. 1990 - Pub. L. 101-647, as amended by Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330011(h), substituted "15 years" for "ten years" in second par. 1986 - Pub. L. 99-646 inserted "life imprisonment or" in second par.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1994 AMENDMENT
Section 330011(h) of Pub. L. 103-322 provided that the amendment made by that section is effective as of Nov. 29, 1990.
Section Referred To In Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 1531, 2332b of this title.
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