544.170. 1. All persons arrested and confined in any jail or other place of confinement by any peace officer, without warrant or other process, for any alleged breach of the peace or other criminal offense, or on suspicion thereof, shall be discharged from said custody within twenty-four hours from the time of such arrest, unless they shall be charged with a criminal offense by the oath of some credible person, and be held by warrant to answer to such offense.
2. In any confinement to which the provisions of this section apply, the confinee shall be permitted at any reasonable time to consult with counsel or other persons acting on the confinee's behalf.
3. Any person who violates the provisions of this section, by refusing to release any person who is entitled to release pursuant to this section, or by refusing to permit a confinee to consult with counsel or other persons, or who transfers any such confinees to the custody or control of another, or to another place, or who falsely charges such person, with intent to avoid the provisions of this section, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(RSMo 1939 § 4346, A.L. 2001 H.B. 80, A.L. 2005 H.B. 353)Prior revisions: 1929 § 3952; 1919 § 3200; 1909 § 4418
CROSS REFERENCES:
Concealment of prisoners to avoid service of habeas corpus writ, penalty, 532.650
Custodian to furnish prisoners copy of process within six hours after demand, penalty for failure, 532.630
Police in city of St. Louis may refuse access to prisoners by shysters or attorneys soliciting business, 84.230
Rearrest of person discharged on habeas corpus, penalty, 532.660
Missouri General Assembly