Many people who follow criminal law stories and topics have likely seen references to obstruction of justice.
What exactly does that mean?
Obstruction of justice charge: it doesn’t take much
Experienced defense attorneys hear it all the time. A client expresses amazement that a simply uttered statement in response to questioning was deemed misleading and elevated to the level of a criminal charge.
We stress at the established Colorado criminal defense firm of Shazam Kianpour & Associates the often stark downsides for targeted suspects of even speaking to police officers during an investigation.
Candidly, there is no upside in doing so. As a suspect, you are on adversarial terrain. The cops questioning you couldn’t be less concerned with your best interests, and they will do everything they possibly can to incriminate you.
That reality breeds a simple strategy. We note on our website that “the best way to protect yourself is to simply keep your mouth shut when the police ask questions.”
Some common obstruction of justice charges
The above-cited police contention that you spoke misleadingly during questioning is among the most common obstruction allegations. It is couched among many others, though, which include these cited acts of wrongdoing:
- Tampering with or threatening a witness
- Destruction of evidence relevant to a case
- Abuse of personal power
- Bribery and other efforts to unlawfully influence
There are strong and multiple reasons to hold back on communicating with questioning police officers during an investigation. Timely and close consultation with a proven defense legal team can help ensure the fullest protection of a criminal suspect’s legal rights.