Amendments Quote by Richard Ben-Veniste
“You can assert a fifth amendment privilege and not testify. But if you go in and swear to tell the truth, then you better do it. Otherwise, if a prosecutor finds that you have testified in a way that is factually incorrect and you had reason to know that it was factually incorrect, then you're guilty of perjury.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Testimony Guidance, US Court, 1990s
A Fifth Amendment right can be waived by swearing oath; false testimony under oath is perjury.
In simple terms: Swearing oath removes privilege; lying is a crime.
Key Takeaway
Never lie when under oath.
Themes
law
ethics
justice
Mood
serious
formal
Type
legal
advisory
When to use this quote
- courtroom
- legal testimony
- law school exams
Key Concepts
Fifth Amendment
perjury
oath
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you understand the consequences of swearing falsely?
- How does this affect your view of legal rights?
A Different Perspective
Perjury requires knowledge of falsity, which can be hard to prove.
