Can police officers and police investigators be found guilty of obstruction of justice?

[arcadian]

Or is that a criminal offense reserved for judges, legislature, attorneys general and various other officials both elected and otherwise?

[Ian David]

1. Yes. But traditionally, the prosecutor will "accidentally" botch the case. n/t

[VeraAgnes]

2. Yes they can............I think it is called something else though.

I'll think of it in a minute or maybe someone can add to the talking point.

[arcadian]

3. I knew there was,

but the only definition I found applied to higher offices.

[rwenos]

5. It's Called "Prosecutorial Misconduct"

When a D.A. falsifies evidence or fails to hand over to the defense any evidence which might exonerate the accused, it's prosecutorial misconduct. One of the few ethics offenses that can actually get a prosecutor disbarred.

It also is that crime called "obstruction of justice." For a prosecutor, it's both an offense disciplinable by the State Bar, and a crime.

If a cop does it, it's just obstruction of justice. Ordinary crime. VERY seldom prosecuted.

[arcadian]

6. What if a police investigator(detective) fails to submit a case to a prosecuting attorney?

Because there "isn't enough evidence", even though there really is sufficient evidence?

[RB TexLa]

4. Anyone can be charged with obstructing justice. Office holder or not.

[midnight]

7. I couldn't find what or who would be accountable for the

obstruction of justice, but I did see this.http://www.nndb.com/crime/385/000050235/Obstruction of Justice
CRIME



Presence on this list implies merely that, to the best of our knowledge, charges were filed against the people in question, or in some cases, a civil suit. It is not meant to imply guilt, and in fact many of the individuals listed may have been found innocent of said charges or claims. Some details of the charge in question can often be found inside the specific profiles linked.

Name Occupation Birth Death Known for
Mario Biaggi Politician 26-Oct-1917 Congressman from New York, 1969-88
Conrad Black Business 25-Aug-1944 Rapacious newspaper mogul
Nellie Bly Journalist 5-May-1864 27-Jan-1922 Ten Days in a Mad-House
Joe Bonanno Criminal 18-Jan-1905 12-May-2002 Bonanno crime family
Barry Bonds Baseball 24-Jul-1964 Holds all-time home run record
Henry Cisneros Politician 11-Jun-1947 Secretary of HUD, 1993-97
Bill Clinton Head of State 19-Aug-1946 42nd US President, 1993-2001
Chuck Colson Government 16-Oct-1931 Minister, former Watergate figure
John Dean Government 14-Oct-1938 Nixon's White House Counsel
John Ehrlichman Government 20-Mar-1925 14-Feb-1999 Watergate criminal, served time
Andrew Fastow Business 22-Dec-1961 Disgraced CFO of Enron
Vincent Gigante Criminal 29-Mar-1928 19-Dec-2005 Mafia boss, headed the Genovese family
John Gotti Criminal 27-Oct-1940 10-Jun-2002 The Teflon Don
Charles A. Graner Military 1968 Abu Ghraib prison guard
J. Steven Griles Government 13-Dec-1947 Deputy Interior Secretary
H. R. Haldeman Government 27-Oct-1926 12-Nov-1993 Nixon's Chief of Staff
Matt Hale Religion 27-Jul-1971 White supremacist
Carroll Hubbard, Jr. Politician 7-Jul-1937 Congressman from Kentucky, 1975-93
William Jefferson Politician 14-Mar-1947 Congressman, Louisiana 2nd
Robert M. Johnson Publisher 14-Jul-1945 Publisher of Newsday, 1986-94
Pacman Jones Football 30-Sep-1983 Dallas Cowboys
John Mark Karr Criminal 11-Dec-1964 JonBenét Ramsey murder suspect
Adnan Khashoggi Business 25-Jul-1935 Shady Saudi billionaire arms merchant
Kwame Kilpatrick Politician 8-Jun-1970 Mayor of Detroit, 2002-08
Lil' Kim Rapper 11-Jul-1974 Wore a pastie to the 1999 MTV Video Awards
Sanjay Kumar Business 1962 Former CEO, Computer Associates
Lyndon LaRouche Economist 8-Sep-1922 Eccentric economist politician
Rita Lavelle Government 8-Sep-1947 EPA official
Ray Lewis Football 15-May-1975 NFL linebacker charged with murder, pled out
Lewis Libby Government 22-Aug-1950 Cheney's former Chief of Staff
Abner Louima Victim 24-Nov-1966 New York's Rodney King
Imelda Marcos First Lady 2-Jul-1929 Former First Lady of the Philippines
Susan McDougal Criminal 1955 Whitewater scandal
Russell Means Activist 10-Nov-1939 American Indian Movement
Evan Mecham Politician 12-May-1924 22-Feb-2008 Governor of Arizona, 1987-88
John Mitchell Government 15-Sep-1913 9-Nov-1988 Attorney General and Watergate figure
Arch A. Moore, Jr. Politician 16-Apr-1923 Twice Governor of West Virginia
Oliver North Military 7-Oct-1943 Perjuring Iran-Contra figure
Clifford Olson Criminal 1-Jan-1940 Killed 11 youths in British Columbia
John Poindexter Military 12-Aug-1936 Iran-Contra criminal
Kevin Poulsen Hacker 1965 Hacker and journalist
Frank Quattrone Business 1955 Troubled securities banker
Mel Reynolds Politician 8-Jan-1952 Congressman from Illinois, 1993-95
Dan Rostenkowski Politician 2-Jan-1928 Congressman from Illinois, 1959-95
George Ryan Politician 24-Feb-1934 Governor of Illinois, 1999-2003
David Safavian Government c. 1967 Former OMB administrator
Lil' Scrappy Rapper 20-Jan-1984 Head Bussa
Richard Scrushy Business Aug-1952 Imprisoned CEO of HealthSouth
Don Siegelman Politician 24-Feb-1946 Governor of Alabama, 1999-2003
Mark D. Siljander Politician 11-Jun-1951 Congressman from Michigan, 1981-87
Harry Sinclair Business 6-Jul-1876 10-Nov-1956 Founder of Sinclair Oil
Maurice H. Stans Government 22-Mar-1908 14-Apr-1998 US Commerce Secretary, 1969-72
Martha Stewart Business 3-Aug-1941 Professional housekeeper, insider trader
Joe Thornton Hockey 2-Jul-1979 San Jose Sharks
James Traficant Politician 8-May-1941 Ohio Congressman now in prison
Sam Waksal Business 8-Sep-1947 CEO, ImClone
James Watt Government 31-Jan-1938 Reagan's Secretary of the Interior
Louis Wolfson Business 28-Jan-1912 30-Dec-2007 Business criminal, horse breeder
Aileen Wuornos Criminal 29-Feb-1956 9-Oct-2002 Notorious serial killer




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