Legal Definitions - flight

In criminal law, flight refers to the act of a person deliberately leaving, hiding, or otherwise evading authorities with the specific intention of avoiding arrest, detention, or prosecution for a suspected crime. This action is often seen by courts as evidence that the person believes they are guilty of the crime, or at least has a strong reason to avoid legal proceedings.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of flight:

• Example 1: After learning that financial auditors were investigating irregularities in their company's accounts, a senior executive secretly transferred a large sum of money to an offshore account, sold their property, and purchased a one-way plane ticket to a country known for not extraditing individuals for financial crimes.

  Explanation: This scenario illustrates flight because the executive's actions—transferring funds, selling property, and leaving the country—were all deliberate steps taken to avoid being arrested and prosecuted for potential embezzlement. Their haste and choice of destination suggest a strong awareness of their culpability and a clear intent to evade justice.

• Example 2: Following a minor traffic accident, one of the drivers, who had been drinking, exchanged insurance information with the other party. However, when a police officer arrived at the scene to investigate, the intoxicated driver suddenly jumped back into their car and sped away, leading officers on a brief pursuit before being apprehended.

  Explanation: Here, the driver's act of speeding away from the scene after the police arrived constitutes flight. Despite having already exchanged information, the sudden departure and subsequent evasion suggest a consciousness of guilt—likely related to driving under the influence—and a clear attempt to avoid immediate arrest and the legal consequences that would follow.

• Example 3: A person suspected of involvement in a large-scale fraud scheme learned through a news report that law enforcement had issued a warrant for their arrest. Instead of turning themselves in, they immediately cut off contact with family and friends, moved to a different city, adopted a new identity, and took a cash-only job, living under the radar for several years.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates flight through sustained concealment. The individual's actions—severing ties, changing identity, moving, and avoiding official records—were all deliberate efforts to evade arrest and prosecution for the fraud. Their persistent hiding indicates a strong belief in their own guilt and a determined purpose to avoid the legal system.