Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 551 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 333, 35 Stat. 1152).

The first paragraph is new. It is based upon authority of Skelly v. United States (C. C. A. Okl. 1935, 76 F. 2d 483, certiorari denied, 1935, 55 S. Ct. 914, 295 U.S. 757, 79 L. Ed. 1699), where the court defined an accessory after the fact as—

one who knowing a felony to have been committed by another, receives, relieves, comforts, or assists the felon in order to hinder the felon’s apprehension, trial, or punishment—

and cited Jones’ Blackstone, books 3 and 4, page 2204; U.S. v. Hartwell (Fed. Cas. No. 15,318); Albritton v. State (32 Fla. 358, 13 So. 955); State v. Davis (14 R. I. 281); Schleeter v. Commonwealth (218 Ky. 72, 290 S. W. 1075). (See also State v. Potter, 1942, 221 N. C. 153, 19 S. E. 2d 257; Hunter v. State, 1935, 128 Tex. Cr. R. 191, 79 S. W. 2d 855; State v. Wells, 1940, 195 La. 754, 197 So. 419.)

The second paragraph is from section 551 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Here only slight changes were made in phraseology.

1994—Puspan. L. 103–322, § 330016(2)(A), inserted “(notwithstanding section 3571)” before “fined not more than one-half” in second par.

Puspan. L. 103–322, § 330011(h), amended directory language of Puspan. L. 101–647, § 3502. See 1990 Amendment note below.

1990—Puspan. L. 101–647, as amended by Puspan. L. 103–322, § 330011(h), substituted “15 years” for “ten years” in second par.

1986—Puspan. L. 99–646 inserted “life imprisonment or” in second par.

Puspan. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330011(h), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2145, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective as of Nov. 29, 1990.