State of New Jersey, Plaintiff-Respondent v. Saleem T. Crawley, Defendant-Appellant

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey affirmed the conviction of Saleem T. Crawley for obstruction under N.J.S.A. 2C:29-1, holding that a police officer acting in good faith and under color of authority is "lawfully performing an official function" even if the investigatory stop is later found unconstitutional. The Court based its decision on statutory construction, related statutes, and public‑policy considerations, emphasizing that flight from such a stop endangers police and the public. Justice Wallace, dissenting, argued that the statute requires the officer to be engaged in a lawful function and that a field inquiry, not a valid stop, should not criminalize flight.