Q: I was a passenger in a valid traffic stop in Florida and was arrested for obstruction I refused to say my name when as
Asked I was not doing anything else at all is this legal?
A:
A person is required to identify themselves when requested by a law enforcement officer if that officer reasonably suspects that a crime has been committed, is being committed, or is about to be committed.
The officer is not required to tell you at the time what crime or why he suspects one. Whether you were actually doing something illegal is not dispositive of your obligation to comply with his request.
A: Additional explanation: The police officer may be looking for someone else and may require your identification to confirm that you are not the person he is looking for. Your refusal to identify yourself then obstructs and delays his search for that person.
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