If you are accused of a crime or detained for questioning by the police, it is vital to know your rights to prevent any violations. Police interrogations are often intense as law enforcement officers ask questions to extract pertinent information from you to gather evidence about an alleged crime. Law enforcement officers will use various psychological ploys to trick concessions from people. To protect yourself from accidentally incriminating yourself, it is critical to know your constitutional rights. Please continue reading to learn about the rights you are entitled to when being interrogated by the police and discover how a determined Escambia County Criminal Defense Lawyer can protect you during this complex process.
What rights am I afforded during police interrogations?
At one time or another, you have likely heard the phrase “You have the right to remain silent,” but very few people truly understand the power behind this statement when detained by the police. Fortunately, in the U.S., the Consitution affords us certain rights that we can invoke to avoid self-incrimination. If you have been brought into police custody for questioning, you do not have to answer the questions posed by officers. Despite the officer’s attempt to persuade you to cooperate with them in exchange for a lesser sentence, please do not fall for their trap. Police officers do not have the authority to grant a lesser sentence for cooperation. This is a police tactic to fool suspects into confessing to a crime. That said, while in police custody, you should invoke your Fifth Amendment right, which protects you from testifying against yourself when accused of a crime.
Alongside your right to remain silent, you also have the right to be represented by an attorney. If you are accused of a crime, you can remain silent until you have consulted with your legal counsel per your Sixth Amendment right. During a police interrogation, your attorney can protect you from falling for various police tactics. Before you even think about sharing any information with the police, it is advisable first to share this information with your attorney as you may accidentally provide the police with pertinent evidence they can you against you. Furthermore, as mentioned above, police officers use deceitful tactics to trick suspects into confessing. Most people believe that police officers always have to be honest. However, that is not the case. During a police interrogation, police officers can lie to you. Please do not assume that you have the right to honesty, as it could result in you being tricked into self-incrimination.
If you have been brought into police custody for interrogation, it is in your immediate interest to retain the legal services of a qualified Escambia County criminal defense lawyer from The Law Office of James M. Burns who can protect your constitutional rights. Our firm is committed to helping our clients seek the best possible outcome.
