# Four Corners and Crime **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2002, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176 "2002-12-16T21:26:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amazon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Amazon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/1 "2002-12-16T21:26:38Z")
What if a person were to commit a crime on the four corners of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico… Not 16 crimes, but one crime at that place that connects these four states. Suppose it’s murder? What state will the person be prosecuted in? Will s/he get the death penalty? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/2 "2002-12-16T21:27:21Z")
Drawn and quartered. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/3 "2002-12-16T21:42:18Z")
The state the body falls in? ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/4 "2002-12-17T00:32:56Z")
So where do they bury the survivors? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/5 "2002-12-17T00:55:43Z")
A point has no dimensions, only location. So no person could ever occupy that space… ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/6 "2002-12-17T01:04:09Z")
I think the federal government would have jurisdiction, since it’s a [national monument](http://www.mesaverde.com/fcmonument.htm). However, if that weren’t the case, I think the jurisdiction would fall to the [Navajo Nation](http://www.navajonationparks.org/fourcorners_monument.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/7 "2002-12-17T01:47:56Z")
In general, whenever any matter crosses state lines (as Four Corners most assuredly does), it’s Federal jurisdiction. This also includes, for instance, kidnapping across state lines, mail and wire fraud, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Amazon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Amazon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/8 "2002-12-17T02:11:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pesch \* > \*\*So where do they bury the survivors? \*\* I bury survivors in my back yard. :wally ---
**Author:** ![d12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@d12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d12)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-corners-and-crime/143176/9 "2002-12-17T03:02:28Z")
My WAG is they might find which state would have the more severe punishment. Example: D.C. Sniper and being tried in Virginia IIRC.