COMPOUNDING A CRIME

compounding a crime.The offense of either agreeing not to prosecute a crime that one knows has been com-mitted or agreeing to hamper the prosecution. — Also termed compounding a felony; (archaically) theftbote. See STIFLING OF A PROSECUTION . [Cases: Compounding Offenses  1. C.J.S. Compounding Offenses § 1.]

“If a prosecuting attorney should accept money from another to induce the officer to prevent the finding of an indictment against that person this would be compounding a crime if the officer knew the other was guilty of an offense, but would be bribery whether he had such knowledge or not.” Rollin M. Perkins & Ronald N. Boyce, Criminal Law 539 (3d ed. 1982). [Blacks Law 8th]