Commonwealth v. Paquette

This case considers whether any lie to police during a criminal investigation “misleads” police in violation of G. L. c. 268, § 13B, the witness intimidation statute. The statute prohibits, as relevant here, “willfully . . . mislead[ing] ... [a] police officer.” The defendant was convicted by a Superior Court jury on two indictments charging violations of that prohibition, at two separate interviews with police, during their investigation of a fight at a party he hosted in May, 2014. On direct appellate review, the defendant argues primarily that the jury were not instructed correctly…