Antoine E. McCloud, Petitioner v. State of Florida, Respondent.

Summary

The Court held that Florida’s witness-tampering statute does not require the State to prove that the victim or witness attempted to contact law enforcement. The statute instead requires proof that the defendant knowingly engaged in specified conduct with the specific intent to hinder, delay, or prevent communication with law enforcement, and the evidence supported McCloud’s conviction under that interpretation. The Court approved the decision below and disapproved the conflicting precedent. Lawson, J., specially concurring, agreed with the result but disagreed with describing legislative intent as the universal guiding principle of statutory construction.