You may have seen interrogations acted out countless times on TV and film, where usually two police officers take an arrested suspect into a dimly lit room at a police station and play “good cop, bad cop” until they finally confess to committing the crime. While this is sometimes how it goes, an officer can adopt varying techniques, so it is best to be prepared for any possibility. That said, please follow along to find out what to expect during a police interrogation and how a proficient Morristown criminal defense lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC, can educate you on your legal rights during this critical time.
What should I expect to happen during a police interrogation?
First of all, you may be subjected to an interrogation if you are a suspect of a criminal act who has been taken into police custody. Now, being under police custody does not necessarily mean that you have been formally arrested. But still, you may be placed in handcuffs, escorted into a patrol vehicle, and taken to a police station for questioning. During the interrogation, an officer may have the legal authority to lie to get you to confess to your crime.
You must understand that an interrogation differs greatly from an interview. The latter is a less formal legal process for the victims or witnesses of a criminal act. An officer may conduct this questioning while still at the scene of a crime or on any public street. And so, being that you are not a suspect, you have the freedom to remove yourself from this questioning at any time. During the interview, an officer may simply ask for information that will help them find the suspect and solve the case.
What should I know about my legal rights during an interrogation?
To reiterate, and much to your surprise, a police officer may lie during an interrogation to elicit your confession. However, they must not lie about your legal and constitutional rights. That is, even if this is not a formal arrest, an officer must read your Miranda rights to you, which is your legal right to remain silent and have a lawyer present during the interrogation. You must understand and exercise these rights fully, so you do not unintentionally and accidentally admit guilt to a crime you never committed.
Understandably, this may be your first encounter with the law. And during the stressful interrogation process, you may feel pressured to answer questions before legal counsel arrives or coerced into a guilty admission to lessen the sentence you have been threatened with. Well, this may be considered misconduct on the interrogating officer’s part, as they may have practiced deception to drive you to this point. This is definitely something to fight to suppress or dismiss in your upcoming criminal trial.
As soon as you find yourself in potential legal trouble, you must retain representation and advisement from a talented Morristown criminal defense lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC. You should not have to put up this fight alone; we are here to help you.