Stupid Criminal Tricks # 1

So you’re charged with burglary, and you think it might be a good idea to call your victim and apologize. Well, okay. I see the point, though I wouldn’t recommend it. But if do make the call, don’t encourage the victim to skip the trial. 

A Montana man who made that call found himself charged with tampering with a witness – in addition to felony charges for bail jumping (two counts), criminal endangerment, assault on a peace officer and burglary, and misdemeanor charges of bail jumping and criminal trespass to vehicles. More details from the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell.

 

 (Flathead County, Montana courthouse, from the David Berryman Courthouse Postcard Collection.)

6 thoughts on “Stupid Criminal Tricks # 1

  1. This is great stuff! Looking forward to following this blog! If criminals were smart, they wouldn’t get caught.
    Sally Carpenter

  2. As a prosecutor, I saw that witness tampering like this is too often a problem in criminal trials. My first novel, “Law of Attraction,” deals with witness tampering during a domestic violence case. (Usually, it’s the boyfriend convincing the girlfriend not to testify, while plying her with sweet promises about his new and improved attitude … which usually lasts until the charges are dropped.)

    This story is definitely funnier. I think it would be a great regular column, Leslie!

    • Thanks, Allison. I certainly don’t mean to make light of situations like you describe — in fact, one Q&A in my book describes a similar scenario, and as you demonstrate, they can make for gripping fiction.

      And anyone with candidates for Stupid Criminal Tricks, send me a note!

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