The offense of resisting law enforcement has five essential elements:

1. knowingly or intentionally
2. forcibly
3. resisted, obstructed, or interfered with
4. a law enforcement officer and
5. while the officer was lawfully engaged in the execution of the officer’s duties.

One “forcibly” resists law enforcement when “strong, powerful, violent means are used to evade a law enforcement official’s rightful exercise of his or her duties.” Merely walking away from a law-enforcement encounter, leaning away from an officer’s grasp, or twisting and turning a little bit against an officer’s actions are examples of conduct that do not amount to “forcible” resistance. The advent of body camera videos preserving the actual event makes these cases at trial no longer just about what the officer said happened.

With over 34 years of handling thousands of criminal cases, clients come to Steven Knecht seeking his dependable legal advice and service. His commitment to his clients has solidified his reputation for superior representation in the area of criminal defense. He puts clients at ease, explains everything as thoroughly as possible, without “legalese,” and promptly returns phone calls and e-mails.

If you find yourself having been arrested, you should immediately hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer that you can trust such as Steven Knecht to help you fight the State because you have a lot at stake on the outcome.