When dealing with the police, most criminal defense lawyers will offer you the following two words: keep quiet! Regardless of whether you are innocent or not, speaking to the police is rarely a good idea. In most cases, there is very little good that can come from speaking to the police, and you should only do so in the presence of your criminal defense attorney. Below are just a few of the many reasons not to talk to the police in Texas.
Why You Shouldn’t Talk to the Police
Mistakes can be used against you
If you misspeak, make an error, or remember something inaccurately when speaking to the police, this information can be used against you in your criminal case.
You may inadvertently reveal something that hurts your case
Even if you’re innocent of the crime with which you’ve been accused, you may still end up giving the police information that puts your freedom in jeopardy. For example, if you tell the police that you were near the location of a crime around the time that it occurred, the police can use this against you.
The police may misremember what you tell them
If your conversation with the police isn’t recorded, they may later claim that you said something you didn’t. Obviously, this puts you in a difficult situation. It shocks most people to learn that the police or agents can and will lie to you. However, lying to the police will be used against you and lying to federal authorities can result in a federal felony prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 1001.
The police can’t cut you a deal
Although they sometimes insinuate (or even claim) otherwise, the police have no authority to bargain with you for leniency, a reduced charge, or anything else. Therefore, there is very little to gain by speaking to the police after an arrest.
It simply won’t help you
As noted above, regardless of what the police say, speaking to them simply won’t help you. After an arrest, it isn’t up to the police to determine your charges, guilt, or innocence—that is the job of prosecutors, judges, and juries. Police officers make arrests and pass along information to prosecutors, including statements by criminal defendants.
El Paso Criminal Defense Lawyer
Although you may have good intentions when speaking to the police, doing so can only hurt your case. In fact, the only time you should ever consider speaking to the police following an arrest is after consulting with an experienced criminal defense attorney. At the Benjamin Law Firm, we want to help ensure that you don’t incriminate yourself during your interactions with the police.
In addition, our experienced El Paso criminal defense team will use our well-honed negotiation and courtroom skills to mount an aggressive attack against your criminal charges, leaving no stone unturned as we fight to protect your freedom and reputation. When you choose the Benjamin Law Firm to represent you, you can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to see your case through to a successful conclusion. Please contact us today for a consultation.
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