Missouri "obstruction of justice"?

[Butch Garrett]

Good Morning,

I am an Investigator for a state agency without arrest authority. Recently a rural prosecutor successfully filed charges of obstruction of justice against a company that failed to give me records. I don't think Missouri has an obstruction of justice statute. MODOT has asked me to help on a job in Taney County today. Can witnesses / employees that refuse to provide requested information be charged with any criminal violation? From one of my Jackson County cases I know that submitting false payroll records is a felony charge.

Thanks,

[Citicop]

That is true. Missouri has no state charge for "Obstruction of Justice," though there are the following charges:

"Hindering Prosecution" which covers lying or interfering to prevent the arrest of a wanted person,
"Concealing an Offense" which covers withholding evidence in return for some benefit (or promised benefit), "Tampering with Physical Evidence" which covers suppressing or concealing any document in order to impair its availability in any official proceeding or investigation.

It could also easily be a County or City Ordinance, though, and not a state law that he charged.

-Citicop.