A private citizen, John Q. Public, saw an armed robbery of a local convenience store. Mr. Public had a car phone in his car, but he failed to report the crime to the police with the result that the robbers escaping with $20,000. Mr. Public is liable as an accessory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A private citizen generally does not have a legal obligation to report a crime, and failing to do so does not make them an accessory to the crime. An accessory is someone who assists or encourages the commission of a crime, which does not apply in this scenario.

A Private Citizen, John Q