If you have been accused of committing a criminal offense in Arlington, Virginia here are the two most common mistakes to avoid.
To learn more, or to discuss your case contact an Arlington criminal attorney today.
The most common mistake, and it’s human nature, is talking too much to police or otherwise providing too much information to police.
Police thrive off information and prosecutors need evidence to prosecute their case, and many times that takes the form of statements made by the accused. And although it may be human nature or human instinct to want to cooperate with police, giving any information of any type can be used against you later, even if you think you are giving it to help yourself or a police officer out.
That is the biggest mistake— providing the evidence or information to police who would not otherwise be able to get that information in other ways.
Another common mistake possibly is to be too aggressive with the cop, or to argue with them. It’s kind of different than being too open and generous with the police, but arguing with the police or telling them that they’re wrong never results in the outcome you want.
It is a mistake to try to argue your case on the street with the police officer, because the police on the street is always going to be right because they have all the power. Take your ticket, take your charge, get a good attorney, come into court and that’s where you fight the case and that’s where your point is proven.
Try to manage your outrage of being arrested or for being issued a ticket and be polite even if the officer is not being polite to you. But if police begin to question you, politely decline and ask for an attorney.
Furthermore, it absolutely does not imply guilt if you ask to speak to an attorney.
Everyone is entitled to speak to whomever they want to speak with before they speak with police. You don’t have to talk to police if you don’t want to whether you want to talk to an attorney or whether you just don’t want talk. It cannot be inferred in court as an implication of guilt and if you’re engaged with an officer it is always smart to say you want to speak with an attorney because as you never know how your words can be misconstrued. You don’t know why he or she is asking you certain questions and you don’t know what they’re going for when they ask you those questions. The laws are clear though, that requesting an attorney cannot be used against to imply guilt.