If you ask any criminal defense attorney when a suspect should talk to the police, they will tell you not to do so until you have talked to an attorney. If you have reason to believe that you have been implemented in a crime, then this is the advice you should follow – but what if the crime doesn’t involve you? Should you answer the police’s questions?

Keep reading to learn when and how you should talk to the police. Then contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for a free legal consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

You Can Get in Legal Trouble for Providing False Information About the Involvement of Someone Else

If you lie to or mislead the police, you can get into trouble. One example is a person who intentionally helps someone they know is a criminal. Lying to protect said person can lead to charges of being an accessory after the fact. It is possible to be charged with obstruction of justice as well.

It is your personal decision to make if you want to talk to the police about a friend or relative that the police believe are involved in a case. However, keep in mind that you can simply decline to answer and are then not going to face charges for making false statements. Contact a defense attorney if your case is more complicated and requires further considerations.

Your Statements Could Be Distorted or Taken Out of Context

If you are not the subject of a criminal investigation and neither is a friend or family member, then there is no reason not to talk to the police – right? Not so fast. If you have reason to believe that you may be at an especially high risk of being targeted by the police then you may want to avoid voluntarily talking to the police under any circumstances.

For example, if a person has a criminal record or is on probation, then they may be wary that anything they say could be taken out of context or distorted to be used against them. This may be because the police officer is acting maliciously or it may simply be that they hear what they want to hear. Either way, it is possible that your innocent statement could end up seeming incriminating.

Contact an Attorney Before Talking to the Police

You do not have to make a huge deal out of not talking to the police. You do not have to refuse. Simply tell them that you are happy to speak to them but that you must talk to your attorney first. Then contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055. We can offer advice and talk to the police directly. The fact of the matter is that you almost never have anything to gain by talking to the police.