Court: Lying to police not always a crime
SPRINGFIELD — Lying to police may be a bad idea, but the Illinois Supreme Court says it's not always a crime.
The ruling involves a LaSalle County man whose wife was driving with a suspended license. A deputy followed the woman home and tried to issue a ticket, but she went inside.
Her husband came out and claimed he was the one who had been driving. He said his wife wasn't home, even though the deputy had seen her moments earlier.
Joseph Baskerville was charged with obstructing a peace officer, but the Supreme Court reversed his conviction Friday.
Baskerville gave the deputy a chance to search the home and the deputy declined. So the court said there was no proof that Baskerville's lies actually impeded the deputy.
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