Being arrested is not a situation anyone wants to find themselves in. For those who have never experienced something like this before, it can be very traumatic.
People respond in different ways when under pressure. What you do following an arrest can be crucial to the outcome of your case. Here are some things that you should definitely avoid.
Talking yourself into trouble
If you’re innocent, then it is instinctual to proclaim this vocally. You may tell officers that the criminal offense couldn’t have possibly been committed by you because you weren’t even there at the time. You claimed to have been somewhere else. So, officers go on to look into this but your alibi doesn’t check out. You mixed up the times by a couple of hours and now it looks like you have lied to the police.
Remember, under the Fifth Amendment of the U. S. Constitution, you have the right to remain silent. If you don’t say anything to the police without your attorney’s guidance, you don’t have to worry about what might later be used against you.
Contacting an alleged victim
As far as you’re concerned, you had a simple misunderstanding with a friend. The last thing you expected was to be facing charges, and you’re sure this isn’t what they want, either. The problem is, the decision of whether or not to press charges usually lies with the prosecution and not the alleged victims.
If you contact a witness and are deemed to have influenced their testimony in any way, then you could face further charges of witness intimidation. Depending on the circumstances, you could end up facing charges of violating a protective order — and you can be convicted of that even if you’re found innocent of the original charges.
You don’t have to face criminal charges on your own. Having experienced legal guidance behind you will give you the best shot at a favorable outcome in your case.