When you’re under investigation for criminal wrongdoing, you might feel an urge to talk to the police.
A lot of individuals in your situation feel the same way. They think that they can get out ahead of the issue and talk their way out of any suspicion. But doing so could be the biggest mistake of your life.
In fact, a lot of people who end up criminally convicted are incarcerated based on statements that they made to the police. Don’t let that happen to you.
Reasons why you shouldn’t talk to the police
There are lots of reasons why you should avoid talking to the police. Let’s look at some of them here so that you know how best to protect yourself when law enforcement comes knocking:
- The police aren’t in a position to help you: In a lot of situations, the police indicate that they’ll help you if you help them. They might promise reduced charges or lighter penalties if you cooperate, but these aren’t promises that they can keep. After all, the prosecutor is the one who has the discretion to drop or modify charges and offer plea deals.
- The police can lie to you: If you’re being interrogated by the police, then they can, and often do, lie to you to try to get you to talk. They may lie about having incriminating evidence against you, they may say you were seen at the scene of the crime or that your fingerprints were found there, or they may falsely indicate that an accomplice has already admitted and has implicated you in the crime. Don’t take the police at their word.
- What you say can be misconstrued: Even if you’re innocent, statements that you make to the police can be misconstrued and used against you. This means that a seemingly innocuous statement could lead you to be the focus of the investigation. You obviously don’t want to be under the investigatory microscope if you can avoid it.
- You might be able to negotiate a plea deal: If you committed the crime in question and want to get it off your chest, you shouldn’t just blurt out your confession to the police. If you do so, then they have all the power, and your future is basically left in the hands of the prosecutor who is handling your case. By withholding that admission until you and your attorney can speak to the prosecutor, rather than the police, you might be in a stronger position to get the sort of plea deal that best protects your future and your freedom.
It’s important to remember that you don’t have to talk to the police. You have a Constitutional right against self-incrimination, and your unwillingness to talk to the police can’t really be used against you. Therefore, it’s often best to keep quiet when interacting with law enforcement.
Do you need a legal ally on your side?
There are a lot of missteps that can be made in a criminal case, and any one of them could be the death knell in your defense. That’s why you have to be extremely careful as you navigate your case if you want to achieve the best outcome possible given the facts at hand.
