Legal obligation? Options

[Oasis]

Probably one of the worst "holy shit, it's a small world" scenarios just happeneed.

In December one of our businesses burned down. There hasn't been an official ruling on whether or not it was accidental or arson, although pretty much everyone suspects arson (We had a loser douchebag working for us who we had to fire because he could never show up for work on time; Apparently, he's hated us ever since. Plus, he's nuts).

A few nights ago I was driving by with my girlfriend and she asked was that our building. Yeah, I said. She told me she was talking to her dad about it and her dad knows who did it. I goddamn near swerved off the road. Apparently, the main suspect lives across the street from her dad and they're drinking buddies. I told her to get whatever info she could from her dad and after talking to him, she said he told me if I met with him he'd tell me who did it. I went over to his house and the first second I mentioned the suspects name he completely clammed up. Told me he had no idea who did it and he never told Erica (my gf) anything and she must have misheard him.

Bullshit.

It's blatantly obvious he got spooked or something and now won't talk. He knows exactly who did it and who did it was the guy we suspected from the beginning.

Is he under any legal obligation to tell the police if he knows who committed a crime? I would think so. I just don't know what to do, because if I went to the police myself and told them my girlfriend's dad knows who did it it could start all kinds of shit with their family. Plus I'm sure he would just deny any knowledge.

[pebkac]

Probably one of the worst "holy shit, it's a small world" scenarios just happeneed.

In December one of our businesses burned down. There hasn't been an official ruling on whether or not it was accidental or arson, although pretty much everyone suspects arson (We had a loser douchebag working for us who we had to fire because he could never show up for work on time; Apparently, he's hated us ever since. Plus, he's nuts).

A few nights ago I was driving by with my girlfriend and she asked was that our building. Yeah, I said. She told me she was talking to her dad about it and her dad knows who did it. I goddamn near swerved off the road. Apparently, the main suspect lives across the street from her dad and they're drinking buddies. I told her to get whatever info she could from her dad and after talking to him, she said he told me if I met with him he'd tell me who did it. I went over to his house and the first second I mentioned the suspects name he completely clammed up. Told me he had no idea who did it and he never told Erica (my gf) anything and she must have misheard him.

Bullshit.

It's blatantly obvious he got spooked or something and now won't talk. He knows exactly who did it and who did it was the guy we suspected from the beginning.

Is he under any legal obligation to tell the police if he knows who committed a crime? I would think so. I just don't know what to do, because if I went to the police myself and told them my girlfriend's dad knows who did it it could start all kinds of shit with their family. Plus I'm sure he would just deny any knowledge.

I'd go a step further and say that since you have information that would help the police track this guy down, it would be your legal as well as moral obligation to give it to them. Granted, I would imagine that it would be a difficult case to prove, but do you really want to take a chance on something like that?

Even if it's not something that can directly help them, it could put the police on the right track towards catching him.

I also agree with Spec. If you're able to see an attorney, I'd advise doing so.

I do understand where you're coming from with it causing problems with your girlfriend, but if her father is going to start shit with you over not covering for someone who is an arsonist and a potential killer then I think it's not a good idea for you to be in good terms with him anyway.