Legal Question in Criminal Law in Mississippi
Is it legal for police to use a paid informant? The paid informant, an adult male, started dating the daughter, a minor, of the person they were after. The informant went so far as to sleep with the daughter. The informant was 20 and the daughter was 17.
Asked on 2/24/11, 4:20 pm
1 Answer from Attorneys
Wayne Woodall
Wayne Woodall Attorney
IT IS LEGAL TO USE A PAID INFORMANT BUT THE PAY MAKES THE TESTIMONY OF THE INFORMANT SUSPECT AT BEST. FURTHER, IT IS ILLEGAL FOR A PERSON TO SLEEP WITH A MINOR WHO IS MORE THAN 36 MONTHS YOUNGER THAN THE ADULT. THAT IS SEXUAL BATTERY AND IT CARRIES A HEAVY PENALTY INCLUDING PRISON TIME. CHECK THE ACTUAL DATES OF BIRTH AND IF MORE THAN THREE YEARS IS BETWEEN THE BIRTHDATES THEN THE INFORMANT COULD BE ARRESTED FOR SEXUAL BATTERY.
Answered on 4/03/11, 5:13 pm