Mississippi Code

Miss. Code Ann. § 97-9-125 (2026)

Tampering with physical evidence

✓ current as of July 2026

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(1) A person commits the crime of tampering with physical evidence if, believing that an official proceeding is pending or may be instituted, and acting without legal right or authority, he:
- (a) Intentionally destroys, mutilates, conceals, removes or alters physical evidence with intent to impair its use, verity or availability in the pending criminal investigation or prospective official proceeding;
- (b) Knowingly makes, presents or offers any false physical evidence with intent that it be introduced in the pending or prospective official proceeding;
- (c) Intentionally prevents the production of physical evidence by an act of force, intimidation or deception against any person, or threatens, harasses or intimidates a witness or a person he reasonably believes may be a witness in a criminal investigation to not provide physical evidence or to hide, destroy or alter physical evidence; or
- (d) Solicits, encourages or assists another person to destroy, hide or conceal evidence of any type if it is reasonably likely the state or federal authorities would use the evidence during the prosecution of a criminal act by the state or federal authorities.

(2) Tampering with physical evidence is a Class 2 felony.

Laws, 2006, ch. 387, § 13, eff. 7/1/2006.

Amended by Laws, 2017, ch. 382, HB 1367, 8, eff. 7/1/2017.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 3 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2013–2024 · leading case: State of Tennessee v. Ledarren S. Hawkins, 406 S.W.3d 121 (Tenn. 2013).

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State of Tennessee v. Ledarren S. Hawkins, 406 S.W.3d 121 (Tenn. 2013). “100 (LexisNexis 2008); Mississippi, Miss.Code Ann. § 97-9-125 (2006); Missouri, Mo.”

Kedrick Tevon Lee a/k/a Kedrick Lee v. State of Mississippi (Miss. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 2× “Miss. Code Ann. § 97-9-125 (Rev. 2017). 9 Dispose of, New Oxford American Dictionary 502 (3d ed.”

Robert Smoots a/k/a Robert L. Smoots v. State of Mississippi (Miss. Ct. App. 2024). “2013); Miss. Code Ann. § 97-9-125 (Rev. 2014). The State nolle prosequied the charges against Demario on the first day of Smoots’s trial.”

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