One of the many coping mechanisms people do when they get nervous is to talk. What someone says while they nervously ramble or excessively talk may not be relevant in a typical conversation. It’s often done to help reduce people’s anxieties. Many people have this particular quirk and doctors and psychiatrists have helped people when this issue impedes on their lives.
It’s not necessarily a bad thing to talk a lot when nervous, but it can lead to legal issues if it happens at the wrong time. Someone who is questioned by the police may start to talk excessively, which could lead to criminal charges, fines and incarceration.
If you fear this could happen to you, you may need to read the following:
What can you say to the police?
The police often ask people questions to help them gather evidence. For example, if you are pulled over while driving and the police suspect you of drunk driving, speeding or violating a traffic law, they may ask you questions. For many people, being honest with the police is their first instinct. For you, you may be honest and open with the police to a fault.
Even if you aren’t drunk or believe you violated a traffic law, telling the police that may not help you. Many innocent people have faced criminal charges because of something they said was self-incriminating. A self-incriminating comment is something said that could make it seem like someone was involved in a crime.
What can help people is for them to plead the Fifth. Pleading the Fifth is a constitutional right that allows someone to give a general answer that essentially states they will not answer any more questions, protecting them from self-incriminating comments. Even if someone pleads the fifth, their legal rights may be violated. If you believe this happened to you, it would be wise to learn about your legal defense options.