Yes you can be punished for knowing. You would be an accomplice at that point.If you reported someone who has counterfeit money to the Secret Service but no longer want to proceed because of guilt is this wrong? Can I be punished for knowing?
You tell that to the Secret Service when they come knocking at your door over.Simple knowledge of a crime does not make you an accomplice to that crime, and is not a chargable offense. That is an absurd notion. To be considered an accomplice under 18 USC 3, you have to have knowledge of the crime and act in a manner to aid or comfort the criminal in such a way as to hinder or prevent their capture.
So if you know you're friend did something illegal then you need to seperate yourself from him. If you allow him to stay at your place, store equipment used in a crime, etc, then you could be facing criminal conspiracy, acessory after the fact charges.
Why couldn't you? What are they going to charge you with? The simple fact is, knowledge of the crime doens't make the OP a criminal. This same situation happens all the time. People report a crime and then for whatever reason, maybe they are bullied or whatever, refuse to cooperate further. Once again, that is not a crime.You tell that to the Secret Service when they come knocking at your door over.
"Sure sir. I knew about it. I actually told on them, but now I've decided that I feel guilty about the whole thing. I really didn't see anything... Anything at all."
And in this example, not only are you concealing the facts from the Secret Service, but you are also lying to them, so sould could be charged as an accomplice or with obstruction or for lying to a federal official. Remember Martha Stewart?"Sure sir. I knew about it. I actually told on them, but now I've decided that I feel guilty about the whole thing. I really didn't see anything... Anything at all."
So what happens if they force you to testify and you keep saying "I dont know" on the stand? How can they prove you do know something?Why couldn't you? What are they going to charge you with? The simple fact is, knowledge of the crime doens't make the OP a criminal. This same situation happens all the time. People report a crime and then for whatever reason, maybe they are bullied or whatever, refuse to cooperate further. Once again, that is not a crime.
Will the Secret Service pressure the OP into making further statements? Probably. Will they throw him in jail if he doesn't? No.
The Secret Service will have to get a subpeona demanding that the OP testify. If the OP refuses to testify, he can be held in contempt because that is an administrative crime.
Jail time for contempt has a wonderful way of jogging the memory...So what happens if they force you to testify and you keep saying "I dont know" on the stand? How can they prove you do know something?
Proof beyond a resonable doubt I thought. How can they prove you know something?Jail time for contempt has a wonderful way of jogging the memory...
You don't know much about court, do you?Proof beyond a resonable doubt I thought. How can they prove you know something?
Because the OP said they already reported them. So, apparently, they DID know something about it.So what happens if they force you to testify and you keep saying "I dont know" on the stand? How can they prove you do know something?
Be that as it may, I bet I know more about bank accounts than you, and will match mine with yours anytime. Care to make it interesting?You don't know much about court, do you?