What criminal offense may Officer John be guilty of for accepting a date in exchange for not giving Mary a speeding ticket?

The correct answer highlights the concept of bribery in its lesser degree. In this scenario, Officer John has accepted a date as a form of consideration for not issuing a speeding ticket. This exchange constitutes a form of bribery because it involves a public servant (Officer John) agreeing to perform an official act (not issuing the ticket) in return for something of value (the date).

Bribe Receiving in the 3rd Degree typically involves a situation where the value of the benefit accepted is considered to be of lesser significant than that in higher degrees of bribery. In this case, the fact that the benefit received is a date, which is not a monetary or substantial value, supports this classification.

This contrasts with other degrees of bribe receiving, which would apply if there were higher stakes involved, such as large sums of money or substantial benefits. Thus, the classification of Bribe Receiving in the 3rd Degree accurately reflects the nature of the crime based on the benefit involved and the context of Officer John's actions.