You can get into a lot of trouble.
When people lie to the police or otherwise intentionally assist a known criminal to avoid arrest, they may be charged as accessories after the fact, or even obstruction of justice. Obviously, the decision to furnish information that leads to the arrest of a relative or close friend is a personal one. However, a person who chooses not to do so should simply decline to answer an officers question rather than lie. Rarely, if ever, would an individual who simply declines to give information to a police officer qualify as an accessory after the fact.
From the author: Robert Woods, Texas Attorney
