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In this answer, Cicero writes:

Resisting arrest must be ancillary to some other charge. You cannot just be charged with "resisting arrest" unless you are actually being arrested on some other charge (or interfering with someone else being arrested).

Is that true?

Can somebody be successfully prosecuted for "resisting arrest" only, without also being prosecuted for some other crime?

(Cicero's answer is for MA and the question is focused on NY, but answers can address any jurisdiction and disclose the jurisdiction.)

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Burned
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According to Matthew Bohrer (Assistant State's Attorney, licensed in three jurisdictions) and others, the offense of resisting arrest can stand alone. Expert attorney Dwayne B. says the same thing here.

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Resisting arrest can be a stand alone offense.

If a police officer decides to arrest you it is irrelevant if the arrest leads to charges or even if the officer had reasonable grounds to initiate the arrest. Once initiated, resisting arrest is its own offense.

Dale M
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As someone who had his life destroyed by the police, they can make up anything, no matter how ridiculous to charge you with. Nothing will happen to the officer when it gets thrown out at preliminary. But resisting arrest is hard to defend against since it is your word vs theirs. Judges always believe a cop even after they've been caught lying on the stand.

Matthew
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