Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 53a — PENAL CODE · Chapter 952 — Penal Code: Offenses
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-151a (2026)

Intimidating a witness: Class B felony

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) A person is guilty of intimidating a witness when, believing that an official proceeding is pending or about to be instituted, such person uses, attempts to use or threatens the use of physical force against a witness or another person with intent to (1) influence, delay or prevent the testimony of the witness in the official proceeding, or (2) induce the witness to testify falsely, withhold testimony, elude legal process summoning the witness to testify or absent himself or herself from the official proceeding.

(b) Intimidating a witness is a class B felony.

(P.A. 99-240, S. 1; P.A. 17-24, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 17-24 amended Subsec. (b) to change intimidating a witness from a class C felony to a class B felony.

The phrase “believing that an official proceeding is pending or about to be instituted” is satisfied as long as the defendant believes that an official proceeding will probably occur, and it does not matter whether an official proceeding is actually pending or is about to be instituted. 321 C. 729.

Jury reasonably could have concluded that Facebook messages sent to witness by defendant forecasted future physical harm and were sent with the intent to influence, delay or prevent testimony at an official proceeding. 152 CA 590.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 20 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2003–2021 · leading case: State v. Sabato, 138 A.3d 895 (Conn. 2016).
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State v. Sabato, 138 A.3d 895 (Conn. 2016). · cites it 8× “Sabato, guilty of attempt to interfere with an officer in violation of General Statutes §§ 53a-167a (a) 1 and 53a-49 (a)(2), 2 and intimidating a witness in violation of General Statutes § 53a-151a (a)(1). 3 The defendant's conviction of attempt to interfere with an officer was…”
State v. Smith, 881 A.2d 160 (Conn. 2005). · cites it 3× “The defendant appeals 1 from the trial court’s judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of one count of murder in violation of General Statutes § 53a-54a (a), two counts of assault of a peace officer in violation of General Statutes § 53a-167c (a) (1), and one count…”
State v. Brewer, 927 A.2d 825 (Conn. 2007). · cites it 5× “Jason Greene later directed the police to the area in which the defendant had discarded the murder weapon. The defendant was arrested and charged with murder in violation of § 53a-54a (a), criminal possession of a firearm in violation of § 53a-217 (a) (1), and tampering with a…”
State v. Cane, 193 Conn. App. 95 (Conn. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 4× “in the first degree in violation of § 53a-92 (a) (2) (C), one count of assault in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a- 59 (a) (1), one count of assault in the first degree in violation of § 53a-59 (a) (3), one count of assault in the second degree in…”
Xu v. Neubauer, 166 F. Supp. 3d 203 (D. Conn. 2015). · cites it 3× “26, EEOC regulations, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-151a and Conn. Agencies Regs.”
State v. JOSE G., 929 A.2d 324 (Conn. App. Ct. 2007). · cites it 4× “, appeals from the judgment of conviction, following a jury trial, of kidnapping in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-94, attempt to commit sexual assault in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-49 and § 53a-70 (a)(1), intimidating a…”
State v. JOSE G., 963 A.2d 42 (Conn. 2009). · cites it 2× “, appeals, upon our grant of certification, from the Appellate Court’s judgment affirming the trial court’s judgment of conviction of kidnapping in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-94, attempt to commit sexual assault in the first degree in violation of…”
State v. Therrien, 978 A.2d 556 (Conn. App. Ct. 2009). · cites it 2× “The defendant was charged with witness intimidation in violation of General Statutes § 53a-151a (a) (2), harassment in the second degree in violation of § 53a-183 (a) (3) and threatening in the second degree in violation of § 53a-62 (a) (2).”
State v. Carneiro, 820 A.2d 1053 (Conn. App. Ct. 2003). · cites it 2× “The defendant, Daniel Cameiro, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of one count of sexual assault in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-70 (a) (2), one count of risk of injury to a child in violation of General *427 Statutes…”
State v. Pink, 875 A.2d 447 (Conn. 2005). · cites it 2× “to 1999) § 53a-151 (a) and intimidating a witness in violation of General Statutes § 53a-151a (a) (1). The jury also found the defendant guilty of committing a class A, B or C felony with a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53-202k.”
State v. Santaniello, 902 A.2d 1 (Conn. App. Ct. 2006). · cites it 2× “rom the judgments of conviction, rendered following a jury trial, of sexual assault in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-70 (a) (1), kidnapping in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-92 (a) (2) (A), attempt to commit murder in violation…”
State v. Berrios, 203 A.3d 571 (Conn. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 4× “*665 The defendant, Dennis Berrios, appeals from the judgments of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of manslaughter in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 3a-55 (a) (1), tampering with a witness in violation of General Statutes § 53a-151 (a), intimidating…”
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