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am I going to jail ?
I am a 24 year old woman and last night I was in my bedroom watching movies and I thought I was home by myself but apparently I wasn't because I paused my movie to go into the kitchen to get some doughnuts and a sheriff beat on the window and I opened the door to see what that wanted and they asked me if my 20 year old cousin was hear because they had a warrant for his arrest and I said I don't know because I was in my room watching movies and then I turned around to look for my aunt because the officer asked to speak with my aunt so I went in to the computer room to go find her and I realized that my cousin that the officer asked for was in the computer room and i am like oh crap what do I do now because i have never been in this situation before until now and my cousin said shh.. don't tell them i am here so I went to the door to tell the officer that he was there and the officer asked me who I was talking to and I started shaking all over with fear and they said I thought you didn't know weather your cousin was here or not I said yes officer that true he said then who were you just talking to and to you not to tell us they were there and I started stuttering and they said it's your cousin isn't i just nodded and I asked if I was in trouble and the officer said he didn't know that he would have to investigate further so am i under investigation by the police will I wind up going to jail with my cousin or would they have arrested me then when they arrested my cousin am I going to jail ? If I do go to jail what would the charges be any answers to these questions would be greatly appreciated . Thanks. I am just really scared right now because I have a clean permanent record and I don't want that to change. I have never been in trouble with the law before and I don't want to start now .
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You're probably fine. If the police were going to arrest you they would have done so at the time. The charges would have been harboring a fugitive and obstruction of justice. Being nervous is not a crime, neither is stuttering and not knowing what to say or do. The officer lead you into telling him what he needed to know.
You were asked to step outside for your own safety while they took your cousin into custody. The police never know what a suspect might do, what weapons they might have. You were a bystander whose present in the home could compromise your safety as well as theirs. Having you wait outside takes you out of the situation and gives them one less problem to contend with during the arrest.
As for the other information they asked you. It is all standard background information for the arrest report. After all you did witness the arrest and if your cousin makes any complaints about the arrest they will ask you what you saw or if you can verify your cousins complaint.
I really do not think you have anything to worry about.
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You are probably fine. As your cousin said: If they were going to arrest you, they probably would have done so right then and there.
Here's the thing about cops: Most of them don't actually get off on punishing scared young people for doing something stupid. They have bigger problems to deal with. You lying about your cousin not being home wasn't worth their time, and frankly, since you told them the truth rather quickly, it's unlikely they'd have any case against you anyways.
They asked you to stay outside with them because that's standard practice when they go into a home to get someone or exercise a warrant - keep the other people in one spot with police. It's for your safety, and their safety, to let the do their job without interference.
The asked you questions because that information is part of what they need to put in their report. They also want to make sure that you aren't in any danger, and that they can identify you. It's just them being thorough.
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This would depend on the laws of your state, You could be charged with enabling a criminal and lying to a police officer and depending whether there is an on going investigation against your cousin, You could also be charged with interfering with an investigation. My advice to you would be to tell the officer the truth or turn your cousin into the police.
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