A perjurer is a person who commits perjury, that is, who makes a deliberately false statement under an oath of truth in a court of law or another official setting. Perjury is considered a serious and grave offense as it has the potential to threaten the importance of the oath and the integrity of the law.
Legal Consequence of Committing Perjury
In the United States, perjury is a serious crime and a conviction can be punishable by up to five years in prison. Depending on the circumstances of a case, the prosecutor can charge a perjurer with various crimes, including obstruction of justice, making false statement to a court, and intentional interference with the administration of justice.
Examples of Perjury
One of the most famous examples of perjury in U.S. legal history was when President Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 for lying under oath regarding his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Former baseball star Roger Clemens was also accused of perjury in 2010 when he testified that he had never taken performance-enhancing drugs.
More recently in 2017, former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos was sentenced to two weeks in prison after lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians.
Conclusion
Perjury is a serious offense that carries real legal consequences. As these examples have demonstrated, it’s important to be honest and forthright when testifying in a legal setting.