Sec. 9-625. (Formerly Sec. 9-346b). Powers of state referees and judges. Preservation of testimony. Witnesses. Expenses of inquiry.
Sec. 9-625. (Formerly Sec. 9-346b). Powers of state referees and judges. Preservation of testimony. Witnesses. Expenses of inquiry. (a) Any state referee or any
judge of the Superior Court may, upon the written request of any state's attorney or any
assistant state's attorney, conduct an inquiry as to whether any crime has been committed
concerning any matters mentioned in such request, within the jurisdiction of such state's
attorney or assistant state's attorney making such request, and any such referee or judge,
and any such state's or assistant state's attorney, may compel the attendance of any
person as a witness by subpoena issued by him; and such person, having been sworn as
a witness, may be examined relative to any such matter under investigation. Such referee,
judge or attorney may also compel the production for examination at such inquiry of
any books or papers or any other thing which he may require in the conduct of such
inquiry by subpoena duces tecum issued by him. Such referee or judge may cause any
person who fails to appear before him as a witness, having been summoned, to be brought
before him by a capias issued by him; and any person in attendance as a witness who
refuses to be sworn as a witness, or who, being sworn, refuses to answer any proper
question propounded to him, and any person summoned who fails to appear before the
referee or judge, may be adjudged guilty of contempt and fined not more than twenty-five dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days or both. In any proceeding held
under the provisions of this section, if any witness objects to testifying or to producing
any book, paper or other thing on the ground that such testimony, book, paper or thing
may tend to degrade or incriminate him or render him liable to a penalty or forfeiture,
and such referee or judge directs or compels such witness to testify or to produce such
book, paper or thing, he shall not be prosecuted for any matter concerning which he has
so testified, or evidenced by such book, paper or thing so produced, except for perjury
committed in so testifying.
(b) In the conduct of any such inquiry the referee, judge, state's attorney or assistant
state's attorney may employ a competent stenographer to take notes of the examination
of any witness, and may furnish a transcript of such notes to any prosecuting officer
having jurisdiction of the subject matter of such inquiry. The referee or judge may require
the attendance and assistance, at any such inquiry and in procuring the attendance of
witnesses, of any state policeman, constable or police officer, who shall be allowed such
compensation as the referee or judge deems reasonable.
(c) The referee, judge, state's attorney or assistant state's attorney shall return to
the clerk of the superior court for the judicial district in which such inquiry is held an
account of all expenses incurred in the discharge of the duties imposed by this section
or required by this chapter, including witness fees, and shall endorse the same, if correct,
or such items of the account as are correct, and the endorsed sums shall be paid by the
state on the order of the clerk.
(P.A. 86-99, S. 28, 34; P.A. 00-99, S. 37, 154.)
History: P.A. 00-99 deleted reference to sheriff and deputy sheriff in Subsec. (b), effective December 1, 2000; Sec. 9-346b transferred to Sec. 9-625 in 2007.
Annotation to former section 9-346b:
Cited. 222 C. 799.