(a) A person is guilty of hindering prosecution when, with intent to prevent, hinder or delay the discovery or apprehension of, or the lodging of a criminal charge against, a person whom the person accused of hindering prosecution knows has committed acts constituting a crime, or is being sought by law-enforcement officers for the commission of a crime, the person accused of hindering prosecution:

(1) Harbors or conceals the person; or

(2) Warns the person of impending discovery or apprehension; or

(3) Provides the person with money, transportation, weapon, disguise or other means of avoiding discovery or apprehension; or

(4) Prevents or obstructs, by means of force, intimidation or deception, anyone from performing an act which might aid in the discovery or apprehension of the person or in the lodging of a criminal charge against the person; or

(5) Suppresses, by an act of concealment, alteration or destruction, any physical evidence which might aid in the discovery or apprehension of the person or in the lodging of a criminal charge against the person; or

(6) Aids the person to protect or profit expeditiously from an advantage derived from the person’s crime.

Attorney's Note

Under the Delaware Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class G felonyup to 2 years
Class A misdemeanorup to 1 yearup to $2,300
For details, see Del. Code Ann.tit. 11, § 4205 and Del. Code Ann.tit. 11, § 4206
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Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 1244

  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.

(b) Hindering prosecution is a class G felony if the person commits any of the acts set forth in subsection (a) of this section with intent to prevent, hinder or delay the discovery or apprehension of, or the lodging of a criminal charge against, a person whom that person knows committed acts constituting a felony, or is being sought by law-enforcement officers for the commission of a felony.

(c) Hindering prosecution is a class A misdemeanor if the person commits any of the acts set forth in subsection (a) of this section with intent to prevent, hinder or delay the discovery or apprehension of, or the lodging of a criminal charge against, a person whom that person knows committed acts constituting a crime other than a felony, or is being sought by law-enforcement officers for the commission of a crime other than a felony.

11 Del. C. 1953, § ?1244; 58 Del. Laws, c. 497, § ?1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 130, § ?8; 70 Del. Laws, c. 52, §§ ?1, 2; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1;