Why is it illegal?


Please forgive my ignorance that I don't understand why is it illegal for Oliver to delete files on Annalise's phone with her consent? It's her phone. It's her property. She can do whatever she want to the phone, can't she?

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I don’t think the erasing of the files was illegal, but lying to the cops about it during an investigation is (Hindering/tampering with a police investigation)

Dude, it’s Beacon Hills.

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It is illegal because it is obstruction of justice.

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Not if the files are deleted *before* the police request info from the phone.
AND they would need a warrant to get the phone from the owner.

Dude, it’s Beacon Hills.

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That's what I think too.

When they prepared Oliver for the interrogation, Michaela went " Did she asked you to delete any files on the phone or not?" Oliver said "No she didn't asked me to do anything illegal like that."

Later, the detective said "we have records showing that you swiped into the clinic at 10:53 p.m. that night, was it because Professor Keating asked you to go do something for her? Clear her phone of suspicous material, for example?

Oliver answered "Of course not. That would be illegal."

I think either there's something missing here, or the writer dropped the ball.

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agreed. But Oliver isnt a Lawyer so he doesnt know that. Basically, all they'd have him for is lying about deleting it. He could basically say" she told me to delete it, which would make her look guilty, but he wouldnt be guilty of doing it. He works for her and she told him to do it.

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You may be thinking too much into this....overall he is denying the claim of erasing information from her phone because it is illegal. It's just a different way of saying it.

But in all honesty I do believe erasing information from her phone is illegal. For now, they're trying to make Anna look suspicious as if she has something to do with Wes's death but in all honesty she probably knows they're trying to get dirt on her for other unsolved cases.


My question is, we have seen Anna using a burner phone and is clearly not crazy enough to have anything incriminating on her real phone so why erase it? If anything they'd see her call log in which they would be able to see anyway if they contacted her phone provider.

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There is nothing illegal about erasing information from a phone. Many people erase their phones and tech on the regular because old data can slow them down. If anything its illegal for the police to get the information. There was a big deal a couple years ago with Apple refusing to unlock a terrorist phone for the FBI. Plus at the point that she gave it to him she wasnt charged with anything or even under arrest.

What was illegal was him lying about doing it.

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