A.A.R. v. State

A.A.R. appeals his delinquency adjudication, which was based, in part, on his giving a false name to a police officer. We reverse, because the child recanted and provided his true name to the officers before he was arrested, transported, or booked, and before any serious harm was done. In reversing, we conclude that the common law recantation defense applies to violations of the new “false name” statute, section 901.36(1), Florida Statutes (2004).

On September 29, 2004, Sergeant Sean Murray observed A.A.R., who was fourteen years old, standing in the breezeway of an apartment complex smoking a…