Full question:
My boss spoke of desiring to kill his old boss, graphically describing it. He spoke of killing a couple of people in the corporate office and in the same conversation said he was going to order a semi-automatic 308 gun. Later that same day he called the gun company and discussed ordering it. Because of this and other actions I became very afraid of him. I told the plant manager. He advised me to call the HR dept. But that was too frightening because my boss had told me no one had better call and tell anything about him. The plant manager called the HR dept. I was fired for telling the plant manager what my boss was doing. I was told that was insubordination. MY question is: what are my legal responsibilities about informing the company further about the dangers that this person poses to the remaining personnel.
- Category: Criminal
- Date:
- State: Texas
Answer:
If a conspiracy claim is raised, the key elements to prove are a voluntary agreement to participate and an overt act by one of the conspirators toward the criminal plan. You do not need to prove that the plan was completed or that the conspirator was involved in every detail.
According to Texas law, under § 38.171, a person commits an offense if they:
- Observe a felony being committed where serious bodily injury or death could result.
- Fail to report it to law enforcement when it is reasonable to believe the offense hasn't been reported, and when they could do so without risking their own safety.
This offense is classified as a Class A misdemeanor.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.