Your Words Can Hurt Your Criminal Case Even if You Don’t Talk to the Police
You probably already know that after you are arrested and taken into custody, the best thing to do is to invoke your right to remain silent and avoid talking to the police. If you speak to the police in the absence of an attorney, you might end up incriminating yourself. However, even after you invoke your right to remain silent and refuse to talk to the police or answer police questions, it is still possible for your words to hurt your criminal case. How? You may wonder. What you say to others can hurt your case just as easily as the statements you make to law enforcement officers. For example, something you say while on the phone with a family member could end up being used against you. Also, another person in custody could share information you give them with law enforcement officers. Read on to learn more.
Calls Made to Family Members Can Be Recorded
After an arrest, a person will be allowed to make a phone call to someone. You can call an attorney or a family member when allowed to make a call. For example, you may choose to contact a family member to help you secure a temporary release.
You should know that conversations on the phone at a police facility can be recorded. You may be advised that your conversation will be recorded, or you might hear a “beep” sound to warn you. If your conversation is being recorded, keep in mind that anything you say to the person on the other end of the line can be used against you, in any way, within the boundaries of the law. Unfortunately, it’s common for criminal suspects to discuss sensitive details about their criminal cases with family members over the phone. Do not discuss any sensitive information about your case over the phone.
Also, when speaking to a family member on the phone, be weary of eavesdroppers. Someone might be listening in to gain information they can share with the police.
An Informant Could Tell on You
A criminal defendant could reduce their sentence by cooperating with the police or, in other words, by being an informant. If someone knows that they could spend quite some time behind bars if they are convicted of a crime, they may be willing to share anything of value with the police if it will reduce their sentence. Apart from being careful not to allow other suspects to eavesdrop on your phone conversation, you should avoid discussing details about your case with other criminal suspects. You might think that talking about your case will help you, for example, avoid abuse, but something you say to someone in the same room could hurt your criminal case if that person decides to share that information with the police. The best thing is to avoid saying anything about your case, as you may not differentiate between the right thing to say and the wrong thing to say.
Contact a London Criminal Defense Attorney
If you have been arrested and are looking for a qualified criminal defense attorney, contact our London criminal defense attorneys at Cessna & George Law Firm.
