2006-08-14 12:20:51 · 21 answers · asked by ridcully69 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
If you are in a store in America and an armed robber comes in, you are not gonna get arrested because you ducked out of the way.
2006-08-14 12:24:28 · answer #1 · answered by shirley_corsini 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you know something illegaly will be committed such as a crime, you are required to contact local authorities and let them know. Otherwise u may be considered as a conspirator if u don't, unless u could come up with a good excuse as to why u didn't inform ur local police.
Besides the illegality issue, it would be morally wrong to not stop a crime from happenning.
Now, if u just noticed somebody preparing to shoot people or a person, run/hide/duck do whatever u can do for safety and then call police once u think ure safe. Unless ure an fbi/police officer and have a gun, then u follow ur training.
2006-08-14 19:31:17 · answer #2 · answered by baraaa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Refusing to be a 'have a go Hero' is not a crime in any jurisdiction I am aware of. In Britain, as long as you didn't push them in or whatnot, you can leave someone drowning in a lake. Ditto in America and most other jurisdictions. However, if you're a police officer and so on, it is misfeance in public office to fail to do so in the UK, or whatever the US definition is. The law doesn't like to place an obligation on volunteers.
In France and some other countries in Europe, it is however an offence not to render aid and assistance to accident victims and the likes (the so called 'good samaritan' laws). Those are incidentally the charges that the French considered lodging a prosecution for against the paparazzi who were chasing Princess Di.
2006-08-14 19:35:17 · answer #3 · answered by MontyBob 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Great Britain, yes it is. If you just stand by and watch someone comitt a murder, or rape or a theft or something and do NOTHING then you are aiding and abetting that offence because the least you could do is run away and phone the police.
Think of recent events... if you knew of people who were planning a terrorist attack and did not alert the authoritities and the attack went ahead... you would be guilty of aiding and abetting that offence.
Obviously if someone is pointing a gun at you and you fear for your life, you then become a vicitm.
It is also an offence to fail to help a police officer execute their lawful duty... so if you are standing by and watching a police officer struggle with a violent prisoner and you do nothing to help, you are committing an offence.
2006-08-15 15:56:05 · answer #4 · answered by PEP 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't know. But I'll ask you this. I wouldn't expect you to witness a drive by shooting of a handful of knuckleheads who had no doubt (real or imagined) committed some offense against the other knuckleheads with the guns and the wheels. Then chastise you for not going out there and doing something about it.
However...if you saw a person, be it man, woman child, old, young being beaten or robbed, you wouldn't step in? You wouldn't grab a board or whatever was at hand and whack the guy if you were sure beyond doubt he/she was the victim?
Look up the Kitty Genovese case online. It starts there for the most part.
2006-08-14 19:26:57 · answer #5 · answered by Quasimodo 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the UK it is a common law offence not to assist a constable in the execution of his/her duty, when called upon to do so, if the person is physically capable of helping and has no lawful excuse for refusing.
In reality, this is a law that is not upheld - for fear the police maybe sued if the PERSON was injured or suffered post traumatic stress syndrome following the event ............. or some other trumped up reason for trying to get some money!!!
2006-08-16 15:19:02 · answer #6 · answered by Sally J 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's not illegal. But it's the moral and civic duty of every citizen to help stop the commission of crimes. or report them. . The actual duty befalls on the shoulders of the law enforcement agency or the police. i would be leery to interfere though if there are firearms in nvolved.
2006-08-14 19:29:30 · answer #7 · answered by rosieC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Under some states laws, those with a "duty to protect" must do so or face criminal charges. For example, a parent has a duty to protect his/her child from harm. A husband has a duty to protect his wife. Daycare workers have a duty to protect the children in their care. See the pattern? Some states have a "good Samaritan" rule/law which provides liability coverage for those you attempt to bring aid/help but cause damage. The idea here is we want people to help if they can without getting injured themselves.
2006-08-14 19:28:03 · answer #8 · answered by Sherri H 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes sir, right here in River City....
Let's say your friend wants you to go with to be there while he meets someone for a fight. If you stand by and watch and do nothing to stop it, and your friend really hurts or mames that person, guess what? You goin' down the river with out a paddle right along side your friend, for accomplice or party to a crime.
Yes, I'm talking about the US of A.
2006-08-14 19:30:39 · answer #9 · answered by metrobluequeen1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many, many people in all states of the U.S. have gone to PRISON for years because they knew that a crime was going to be committed, and did NOTHING to stop it. They can be held JUST as guilty as the person who actually commits the crime and can go to prison for JUST as long.
2006-08-14 19:26:56 · answer #10 · answered by kbc10 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its illegal to not stop a crime when asked by an officer
2006-08-15 13:00:05 · answer #11 · answered by mike g 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋