Regardless of their guilt or innocence, many New Orleans residents dislike encounters with police officers. It can be intimidating to be confronted by a badge-wielding officer and questioned about matters that they may not understand. In some cases, individuals find themselves confusing details in their heads and questioning whether they can provide officers with the requested information.
In some cases, a person’s failure to provide truthful, accurate information to authorities can lead to a criminal charge. Recently, a young Louisiana man contacted Jefferson Parish authorities about a robbery. The man claimed that he had been robbed by two men from whom he intended to buy a pair of Air Jordan shoes. Instead, the man claims, the men robbed him of the $300 he had brought to the presumed sale.
After investigating the matter police discovered that the young man had not been fully forthcoming with them. They learned that the man had not intended to buy shoes during the incident but rather intended to sell the other men drugs. The presumed buyers did in fact rob him of his money, but the inaccurate information that he provided regarding the incident concluded with the man facing the criminal charge of false swearing against public health or safety.
The story the man provided to authorities was allegedly not the complete truth and for that he now must deal with criminal accusations. Allegations of this kind can lead to long-term consequences for the accused and can create problems for him throughout his life. Though he can present his story to a court, the man will have a lot to deal with as prosecutors put forth his allegedly fictitious robbery story.
Encountering police officers can be scary. While in most cases law enforcement officials are simply trying to discover needed information, providing such information can be challenging for some when fear clouds their judgment. Like this young man, such individuals might find themselves facing criminal charges for failing to be fully truthful about potentially criminal matters.
Source: The Times-Picayune, “New Orleans teen concocts Air Jordan robbery story to cover drug deal hold-up: JPSO,” Michelle Hunter, Aug. 11, 2014
Source: The Times-Picayune, “New Orleans teen concocts Air Jordan robbery story to cover drug deal hold-up: JPSO,” Michelle Hunter, Aug. 11, 2014