3 ms·

I am not from the US, so bear with me if I am misunderstanding the nuance of the situation. But reading US news, it seems that it is common for police to arrest

I am not from the US, so bear with me if I am misunderstanding the nuance of the situation. But reading US news, it seems that it is common for police to arrest people for (and only for) resisting arrest. Resisting arrest by definition must occur when attempting for arrest someone. But since the person was arrested for nothing but resisting arrest, the original arrest attempt which was resisted must have been for nothing. It appears that whatever the intent of the law might have been, in practice the police can arrest anyone without need for cause. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/01/29/382497080/arrested-for-resisting-arrest-yes-its-possible https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/01/29/382497080...

thechao 6y ago
Not really. If you’re being arrested (the requirement in order to be resisting), you’re already in deep trouble. OTOH, the flip side (resisting an unlawful arrest) is serious stuff for the arresting officer. In Texas, resisting arrest is no more than 1 year of jail & a fine. Unlawful arrest is going to start at 10 years of prison, and climb rapidly from there. There’s currently a case of the latter working it’s way through the courts in Dallas. The officer is looking at decades right now.
- xnyan 6y ago
  People have been charged with resisting arrest after being shot and involuntary twitching their limbs. Unless you have money or power, the police can say you were resisting arrest for any reason and they will be believed, not you.