Penal Code §118 (perjury) penalizes willfully testifying falsely under oath about a material matter. For a security guard testifying in court or signing an incident report under penalty of perjury, the practical impact is:
Explanation
PC §118 makes willful false statement under oath about a material matter a felony, punishable under PC §126 by 2, 3, or 4 years in state prison. The statute reaches court testimony, deposition testimony, and any document signed 'under penalty of perjury.' For guards, perjury convictions are career-ending: BSIS may revoke the guard card and registration (BPC §7583.22, §7583.33), and the conviction follows the guard's record. The defense is simple: tell the truth, and when memory fails, say so. Qualified privilege (d) does not protect knowing false statements, which are made with malice. Perjury applies to all persons under oath (a), not just peace officers.
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