Re:We Just Got a Rare Look at US National Security Surveillance
by pc86 on Thursday December 12, 2019 @12:49PM
(#21774256)
It's important to know that the lying thing is specifically about federal law enforcement. Lying a local PO is not (necessarily) a crime, however it's possible that your state has a statute making it a crime. So at the local and state level, lying law enforcement is possibly, but not certainly, a crime. Lying (even unintentionally!) to a federal LEO is a crime in every jurisdiction.
Re:We Just Got a Rare Look at US National Security Surveillance
by cryptonector on Thursday December 12, 2019 @03:00PM
(#21775720)
No, no, no. It doesn't matter whether lying to an LEO is a crime or not!! The mere act of lying to them will be used in court to impeach your story, and your testimony should you testify (which is one reason you wouldn't).
You almost certainly won't be allowed to impeach the LEO's testimony based on their lies to you or other subterfuge: it's essentially a given that they can do that as part of their investigations, and the court and jury will be very deferential to them and not to the defendant.
Re:We Just Got a Rare Look at US National Security Surveillance
by alasdair_ on Thursday December 12, 2019 @04:11PM
(#21776516)
>It's important to know that the lying thing is specifically about federal law enforcement
It's actually much broader than that. Making a material false statement to any federal agent (for example your local postman), about something in his jurisdiction (say, the mail) is enough to qualify.
Note the "material" part. If you lie about the color of socks you are wearing, it doesn't matter.
They will use any unconscious fib about any detail, no matter how irrelevant, to impeach you in court. The simplest thing to do is not speak to LEOs at all when they approach you.