Here is the Latin text:
“Reus vel testis non tenetur judicio, respondere si crimen fuerit omnis occultum tunc enim potest imo teneteur testis dicere reum non commisse. Et idem potest reus, si non adsit semiplena probatio” (Salm. D. 2, No. 146 Bus.).
Liguori asks himself (Quest. 2): If an accused, legally interrogated by a judge, may deny his crime under oath, when the confession of the crime might cause his condemnation, and be disadvantageous to him? and he answers:
“It is altogether probable that when the accused fears a sentence of death, or of being sent to prison, or exiled, he may deny his crime under oath, understanding that he has not committed this crime in such a manner as to be obliged to confess it.” Here is the Latin text:
“Quæritur 2. Au reus legitime interrogatus possit negare cimen, etiam cum juramento, si grave damnum, ex confessione ipsi immineat satis probabiliter, (Lugo de Justitia, D. 40, N. 15; Tamb. lib. 3, etc.); et aliis pluribus dicunt posse reum si sibi immineat poena mortis, carceris, rut exilii, negare crimen, etiam juramento, saltem sine peccato gravi, sub intelligendo; se non commississe quotenus teneatur illud fateri mado sit spes vitandi pœnam.”
“He who has sworn to keep a secret is not obliged to keep his oath, if any consequential injury to him or to others is thereby caused.”
“If any one has sworn before a judge to keep the truth, he is not obliged to say secret things.” (Less, Bonar, Trall, etc.)
Liguori asks whether a woman, accused of the crime of adultery, which she has really committed, may deny it under oath? He answers: “Yes; provided that she has been to confess, and received the absolution; for then,” he says, “the sin has been pardoned, and has really ceased to exist.”
“Quaritur 2. An adultera negare adulterium viro suo? Resp. Si adulterium confessa sit: Potest respondere, ‘Innocens sum ab hoc crimine’ quia per confessionem est jam oblatum.” (Card, Disc. 19, N. 54.)
Liguori maintains that one may commit a minor crime in order to avoid a greater crime. He says: “It is right to advise any one to commit a robbery or a fornication in order to avoid a murder.”