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AshlynM's avatar

Is it illegal for someone to falsely accuse you of you threatening them when there's absolutely no proof to back up their claim?

Asked by AshlynM (10684points) February 9th, 2012

There are no written records, no phone calls, no email, no texts about a threat even happening. It’s all he said, she said type of thing. I’m not talking about me personally but in general.

How can someone falsely accuse you of being threatening when you did not exhibit that type of behavior at all? You were behaving in a calm manner, you were quiet and didn’t say much.

People misconstrue everything these days. They claim their life is in danger when it’s really not. Drama queens exist everywhere.

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13 Answers

trailsillustrated's avatar

huh? have the police come to your house, have you been served? if not, forget about it. People say this kind of shite all the time. And yes, I have been told this kind of crap. Ha ha.

Aethelflaed's avatar

When you say falsely accuse, do you mean go to the police and report it as a crime? Then yes. But if you mean, just talk trash about you, then no.

AshlynM's avatar

@Aethelflaed I mean actually call or go the police and falsely accuse someone they threatened you. Someone I know is going through this situation and the accuser called police on them. My friend would never hurt anyone or even act in a threatening manner.

If they made a false report to police, can this person get in trouble with them if the police find out it’s all lies?

Aethelflaed's avatar

@AshlynM Yes, it’s illegal to falsely report a crime. However, if there’s no evidence, it’s really more likely that the police will just drop the case, since in order to charge the reporter with falsely reporting a crime, they have to have evidence that the person knew it was total crap and reported it anyway, which tends to take a lot more energy than the police want to put into it.

Judi's avatar

If you wanted to sue someone for slander you would have to prove that it DIDN’T happen.

auhsojsa's avatar

If they reported it to the police, I’m sure they must have written something down as a statement and therefore that is libel. It’s unlawful to lie in this way.

downtide's avatar

If someone did this in the UK they’d be charged with wasting police time.

emeraldisles's avatar

It sounds like what my uncle used to do.

CWOTUS's avatar

It’s illegal to press a claim which the claimant knows to be false. It’s not technically illegal “to lie” in general, but it is a crime to lie to the police.

The question is in the details. The claimant may have misunderstood something that was said or done to them, or they may have misinterpreted an action or statement by another as being “a threat”, and they may simply have been tricked by others into thinking that a threat had occurred. In those cases, they may make a bona fide and good faith complaint to the police believing that they had been threatened.

If they know for a fact that there was no threat, and if they’re manufacturing the whole story just to get someone else in trouble, then that’s a criminal act. The problem then is proving that they’re engaged in a pattern of lies.

likipie's avatar

I don’t know if it’s illegal or not but if you’re being falsely accused of threatening someone and there is absolutely NOTHING that can prove you really did it, you probably won’t get in trouble for it. If they’re taking you to court over it, you won’t get very far because if there’s nothing for the jury to go on they can’t pronounce you guilty.

flo's avatar

You mean if a person knowingly making a false police report? I don’t see why it wouldn’t be illegal. They should be made to pay legal fees, damages etc.

MollyMcGuire's avatar

NO, not unless you feel you have been defamed and suffed damages from the defamation. Highly unlikely successful action on your scetchy scenario. You sound like someone who creates drama for the sake of drama. Be careful, people will shy away from you.

YARNLADY's avatar

The only time it is illegal is if there is an official police report or if financial damages occur. Once the allegations enter the legal system, the falsely accused can then hire a lawyer and file suit.

This has actually happened to me and the false accusations were widely spread about on the internet. I did not suffer any financial damage as a result of it, and the accuser recanted after being convicted of stalking and served 5 years in a mental hospital, but the original accusation is still there.

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