Ever heard of the saying “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”?
Well, in the realm of being questioned by a police officer, the saying goes like this: “shut up, shut up, shut up.”
If you ever find yourself in that not so desired position of being a “suspect” or an “interested party” in any type of criminal activity, exercise your right to remain silent, and ask for an attorney.
You know you’ve heard the phrase a million times before, “anything you say, can and will be used against you” – guess what – it’s true.
In most situations, the officer will be very nice, and try to calm you into complacency and make you trust him or her. He or she is on your side, they want to help get you out of this, and they want to prove your innocence. This is hardly ever the case, and you should always err on the side of caution and assume that it is NEVER the case.
If you are an interested party and they have enough to arrest you – they will – whether you talk to them or not. By giving them a full blown confession, you’ve in effect guaranteed your arrest, as well as crippled any defense you may have had.
The only person you can trust in the criminal justice system is your attorney. He or she has a duty to defend you, and to look out for your best interest. So if you ever find yourself in a “sticky” situation, the only words that should come out of your mouth are: “I want to speak to an attorney.”
If you find yourself in this situation you will need the assistance of an experienced California criminal defense lawyer, call Wallin & Klarich for assistance.
