In America, a person has the right to remain silent. A person is not required to report a crime although it is good moral practice to do so. If a person is asked questions by the police in part of an investigation to resolve a crime, the person has the option to withhold information but may be charged in connection to the crime. It is best to seek legal information from a lawyer because this could be a very serious matter.
You have a duty to inform the police. You might [if you were unlucky] be prosecuted on your own account for withholding information.
Obstruction of Justice, or, in some jurisdictions, Conspiracy to Subvert the Cause of Justice. Either is Very Bad News.
Withholding information is not the same as lying, but it can still be deceptive or misleading. Lying involves intentionally saying something false, while withholding information involves not sharing relevant details. Both can lead to misunderstandings or misrepresentations.
Violation of ethics
no
Violation of ethics
To ensure payments are not subject to backup withholding, individuals must provide accurate taxpayer identification information to the payer and certify that they are not subject to backup withholding.
Gatekeeping
Withholding is the act of holding back or keeping something back, especially money or information, usually for a specific reason or purpose.
You are not subject to backup withholding because the IRS does not require it based on your tax status and information provided on your W-9 form.
Yes, it is possible. A typical charge might be: "Obstruction of Justice," or "Impeding a Police Investigation." Depending on the type and seriousness of the information you're withholding, you might even find yourself charged as an "Accessory" to the crime. The only legal exception to this is if the person against whom you would be testifying against is your spouse.
Withholding information and your right to remain silent are different. The fifth ammendment states that you have the right to remain silent on subjects that may incriminate yourself, in other words, you don't have to say anything to the police that would incriminate you personally, however, if you know details of a crime involving other parties and you willingly and knowingly withhold that information from the police, you can be charged with obstruction of justice or something like that.