Obstructing a Police Officer

bayside759 · #1 09-29-2006, 04:33 PM

I was pulled over with a couple of friends, at the time I was under 21 and so was another one of my friends who was in the passenger seat. we had been out fishing and had a couple of beers, later that night we met up with my friend and got some food, he decided just to ride home with us since we live like right next door to eachother. on the way home we get pulled over and charged with MIPs and my friend who is 21 is cited for distrubuting alcohol to a minor.

the state patrol writes us all tickets for MIPS including my friend who is 21 and tells us they are just fines and to send them in. needless to say my friend, who is 21, actually has to go to court for his but nobody tells him. so he ends up with 2 counts of providing to a minor instead of a $300 fine or so.

so i go to talk to the County Attorney today to tell her me and my other friend had the beer before picking up my "legal" friend. she says the state patrol has us on video saying he provided us with the booze when in fact i was the only one in the car.

i dont remember the officer clearly asking me if my legal friend provided the booze. it was the first time i had ever been in trouble and was nervous about the whole situation. so, i could have said yes.

so the county attorney says that i will be hearing from them about lying to an officer, but I can't remember if I told him yes, and if I did I do not remember. My friend DID NOT buy us the booze but if this video shows that I said he did can I still be held liable for obstructing an officer?

this happened in iowa.

aaron · #2 09-29-2006, 07:39 PM

To be clear - you have been charged with obstructing an officer?

bayside759 · #3 09-29-2006, 08:07 PM

No, I have not been charged yet. The County Attorney said I could be charged if the tape reveals that I said that my legal friend did purchase/provide the alcohol for us.

aaron · #4 09-30-2006, 05:02 AM

The county attorney may have been trying to intimidate you into changing your story, or may have been trying to see what you would say if you thought your prior statements were recorded. It is easier when there is a recording, but it is still tricky to try to actually prosecute somebody for changing their story about what happened, given that memory changes over time and people make mistakes.

If your friend's charges are still pending, his lawyer should be able to get a copy of the video to use in preparation of your friend's defense.