# Is there anyone you would hide from the police if asked? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815 "2011-10-06T19:29:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/21 "2011-10-06T20:24:10Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Oh my bad. In that case I’m kinda surprised at the number of people that would be willing to commit a felony on behalf of their friends or family. Not my family. Never my family. For my SO? I’d help him hide the damn body. For my best friend, too. For everyone else, I’d probably help with lesser things. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/22 "2011-10-06T20:37:49Z")
First, it’s only one night so it will probably fly with no comebacks. The perp really should keep his mouth shut and not tell me anything. I’d denying I know anything anyway. A good defense attorney will not ask a client if he is guilty because that puts a legal burden on him. If the police don’t even suspect the person yet, I am under no obligation to turn anybody in who is not guilty of anything. So again, loose lips sink ships. Don’t tell me. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/23 "2011-10-06T20:38:57Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Hmm. Is it a felony if the police aren’t looking for the person yet? That’s not a rhetorical question; I don’t know. You’ll get different Mileage based on jurisdiction but in general yes it is a crime. Accessory after the fact, Aiding and abetting, Hindering apprehension of a felon. all come to mind. Depending on the crime committed it might only be a misdemeanor. In you’re OP it’s been established you had knowledge of their crimes and chose to aid them by keeping their whereabouts secret. If you keep your mouth shut and don’t confess to it, you could think well no one will ever know anyway but if that party is ever apprehended their confession could land you in jail. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/24 "2011-10-06T20:57:21Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > You’ll get different Mileage based on jurisdiction but in general yes it is a crime. Accessory after the fact, Aiding and abetting, Hindering apprehension of a felon. all come to mind. Depending on the crime committed it might only be a misdemeanor. > > In you’re OP it’s been established you had knowledge of their crimes and chose to aid them by keeping their whereabouts secret. > > If you keep your mouth shut and don’t confess to it, you could think well no one will ever know anyway but if that party is ever apprehended their confession could land you in jail. [grammar fascist] Um.. you mean “in **your** OP.” [/grammar fascist] Sorry, but we can’t surrender to entropy; Athena would disapprove. Anyway, is it keeping a secret if no one asks? That is, if the police don’t arrive until a week later or whatever, and you truthfully tell them that you let X sleep on your sofa for one night and x left the next morning; and no warrant was issued for X’s arrest until a few days later; have you committed a crime. Again, not a rhetorical question. If I were trying to make an assertion, I’d just do it. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/25 "2011-10-06T20:58:17Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Oh my bad. In that case I’m kinda surprised at the number of people that would be willing to commit a felony on behalf of their friends or family. I think my life would be pretty empty if there weren’t any people I cared about enough to do something illegal for them. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/26 "2011-10-06T20:58:38Z")
**Skald** , **Skald** , the _gentlemanly_ grammar fascist only corrects errors when it would be _funny_ to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/27 "2011-10-06T20:59:49Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > **Skald** , **Skald** , the _gentlemanly_ grammar fascist only corrects errors when it would be _funny_ to do so. :: works action on shotgun, points it in Bosstone’s general area :: I’m sure you didn’t mean to imply I was a gentleman. That was just some sort of weird hiccough. Yes? ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/28 "2011-10-06T21:15:57Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > [grammar fascist] > > Um.. you mean “in **your** OP.” > > [/grammar fascist] > > Sorry, but we can’t surrender to entropy; Athena would disapprove. > > Anyway, is it keeping a secret if no one asks? That is, if the police don’t arrive until a week later or whatever, and you truthfully tell them that you let X sleep on your sofa for one night and x left the next morning; and no warrant was issued for X’s arrest until a few days later; have you committed a crime. > > Again, not a rhetorical question. If I were trying to make an assertion, I’d just do it. Man if you’re shooting people for bad grammar I guess you can sleep on my couch because I’m a dead man anyway. Yes you had knowledge of the crime and made a choice to aid them. It doesn’t matter if that person isn’t even suspected for years to come, what matters is you chose to help them facilitate avoiding or postponing capture. If you truthfully tell them you allowed them to stay there then there is no issue, it’s when you truthfully tell them you had knowledge of the crime. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/29 "2011-10-06T21:18:05Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > :: works action on shotgun, points it in Bosstone’s general area :: > > I’m sure you didn’t mean to imply I was a gentleman. That was just some sort of weird hiccough. Yes? Clearly not, since you’re not doing what a gentleman does. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/30 "2011-10-06T21:49:30Z")
Yes, if. If the felony was for something that I agreed with in principle. If they could explain how the person they killed deserved it. If it was an accident, but they knew the cops would never believe them. If they committed a robbery because they were starving. If it was drug-related. I’d do this for pretty much any friend or past friend, provided they were reasonably certain that the police didn’t follow them or know where they were. I’d offer them my bed, let them use my shower, and give them a nice breakfast and some fresh clothes in the morning, if they wanted. I would not do this for a stranger, or an ex that I couldn’t trust. I’d also do a lot more than that for exactly one person, my little sister. Of course, she’s not the felony-committing type, so I doubt it will ever come to that. But I would even go to jail or sacrifice myself for her. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/31 "2011-10-06T22:23:00Z")
I fear this: close friend or family involved in something like murder etc… and \* I wouldn’t be able to say no\*. I’d be extremely leery and worried. Maybe it was a dream… or after watching some investigative crime documentary that made me think of “what if” this kinda scenario really happens to me. The only thing I can hope is something like that never happens. It would be different if it really happened to you for real than thinking conceptually about your response. I guess it would be ultimately out of my control whether something like this happens though. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/32 "2011-10-06T22:32:06Z")
I’d hid her for sexual favors. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/33 "2011-10-06T23:00:28Z")
Rape, child abuse, and serial murder, no. I would tell them I was calling the police and they’d better be far away by the time I finished if they were going to make a run for it. Anything else, of course. I’ve got a small extended family, and I’d do this for any of them. A handful of close friends, as well. I’d rather they didn’t tell me, though. Then I could claim plausible deniability. My younger brother is the one who I think has a realistic chance of actually putting me in this situation some day, and I think he knows me well enough to figure out that I’ll help him, but I don’t want to know the sordid details. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/34 "2011-10-07T01:08:22Z")
There are at least three people I would hide without a second thought. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/35 "2011-10-07T01:27:39Z")
More than one, definitely. They haven’t been charged. They might never **be** charged. Just because they’ve committed a technical felony is no reason to turn them out in the cold. Such a thing could happen to anyone, naming no names. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/36 "2011-10-07T01:29:32Z")
My mom, my brother, my niece, or one of my kids? Hell yes. Probably one or two of my cousins or a couple of my closest friends. Most of these people wouldn’t come to me for help, though, because they wouldn’t want me to risk jail since I have minor children who need me. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/37 "2011-10-07T01:37:07Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > More than one, definitely. They haven’t been charged. They might never **be** charged. Just because they’ve committed a technical felony is no reason to turn them out in the cold. Such a thing could happen to anyone, naming no names. Will you quit worrying? I’ve told you time and time again that I bribed all the witnesses and confiscated both the security videos and the forensic evidence, both of which are safely hidden in my – well, never mind that. The point is that no one is going to connect you to what happened. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/38 "2011-10-07T01:57:23Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Oh my bad. In that case I’m kinda surprised at the number of people that would be willing to commit a felony on behalf of their friends or family. See I’m the reverse. I’m surprised that someone doesn’t have at least one or two people in their lives that are a no questions, just help them deal. Much like Chopper9760 said, if it doesn’t involve some kind of Child Molestation or Rape. I have, I would say three people in my life that have a “_Smurf will help you no questions asked_” card 😃 . One is my Wife, the other two are friends of 20+ years. I have described in the past these friends as being the sort, that yes I would help hide the body. I have potentially quite a few more people I would help in the situation described, but that would depend upon the crime that was committed. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/39 "2011-10-07T02:31:56Z")
Friends help you move. _Real_ friends help you move bodies. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815/40 "2011-10-07T03:03:29Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Friends help you move. _Real_ friends help you move bodies. Many real friends live in prison. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anyone-you-would-hide-from-the-police-if-asked/598815.md?page=3)