The criminal charges that have been levied against you threaten to completely change your life for the worse. Although a conviction can certainly lead to jail or prison time, it can also carry collateral consequences that are broad and long-lasting. Despite the stress imposed by that reality, you should take some comfort in knowing that you can craft the strong criminal defense that you need on your side to push back against aggressive prosecutors.
A lot of people who find themselves in the criminal defense legal arena think that it all starts in the courtroom. But the reality of the situation is that your criminal defense starts as soon as you come under investigation. That’s why as you proceed through the investigation and any resulting criminal case, you’ll want to make sure that you’re avoiding any mistakes that could result in your conviction.
Mistakes to avoid when under criminal investigation
When the police suspect that you’ve committed a crime, there are a lot of mistakes that you can make to support their suspicions. When you do, law enforcement officers and prosecutors may rely on those mistakes to bring criminal charges against you. Therefore, be sure that you’re avoiding these common and damaging mistakes:
- Consenting to a search: Generally speaking, the police need a warrant supported by probable cause before they can search your home or your vehicle. Although there are some exceptions to the warrant requirement, the police oftentimes don’t have to worry about it because the suspect simply consents to a search. Don’t do that. Make the police follow the law and prove that there’s enough against you to warrant a search.
- Talking to the police: If you come under suspicion of criminal wrongdoing, then you might feel compelled to talk to the police to try to explain yourself and alleviate any suspicions. But talking to the police probably isn’t going to do much other than get you into deeper trouble. After all, the police can lie to you to try to get you to talk, and they might twist your words to use them against you.
- Destroying evidence: Some accused individuals think they can avoid suspicion and criminal charges by destroying evidence. But this is a criminal offense that carries its own penalties, and once the prosecution finds out that you’ve destroyed or manipulated evidence, they’ll use that fact against you to make you look guilty.
- Discussing your case with someone other than your attorney: You might feel a sense of relief by talking about your case with someone you trust. But unless that someone is your attorney, the prosecution has the ability to subpoena them to court and compel them to testify against you. Therefore, you should be careful about who you talk to about your case.
- Keeping secrets from your attorney: Your attorney needs to know all of the facts, even those that aren’t favorable to you. If you keep information from your attorney, then you’ll put them at risk of being taken by surprise in court, which can leave you and your case at a disadvantage.
Know how to craft the criminal defense strategy that’s right for you
There are a lot of ways to approach your criminal defense. You need to find the avenue that’s right for you under your unique set of circumstances. Only then can know that you’ve done everything you can to protect your interests and your future. That’s why now may be the best time for you to continue to research your next steps.
