When you come under suspicion of criminal wrongdoing, your nerves might get the better of you, leaving you with the belief that all you need to do is talk to the police to explain everything. You might assume this is the best way to put suspicions to rest, but the truth is that talking to the police could leave you in a more difficult position where conviction is more likely.
Top reasons why you shouldn’t talk to the police in a criminal investigation
Talking to the police might seem like your best option, but it can be a catastrophic mistake in your criminal case, especially as what started as a simple conversation turns into an interrogation. Here’s why:
- The police can lie to you, including falsely indicating that they have evidence linking you to the crime in question, all to get you talking and making incriminating statements.
- The police might intimidate you so that you’re scared to the point that you’ll tell the police whatever it is they want to hear, even if it isn’t true.
- The police can take your words out of context and use them against you, leaving you backpedaling and looking like you’ve got something to hide even when you don’t.
- The police don’t have the power to offer you a plea deal, even though they claim they’ll go easy on you if you confess or otherwise provide them with helpful information.
Don’t do the police’s work for them
With your future on the line in your criminal case, you can’t make devastating mistakes like talking to the police. If you want to build an effective criminal defense, then you need to force the police and prosecutors to do their jobs in accordance with the law. By voluntarily talking to them or consenting to a search, then you might end up being your own worst enemy in your criminal case. Don’t let that happen to you.