We’ve all seen the dramatic police shows where the renegade cop turns off the camera and beats a (sometimes false) confession out of the suspect. Fortunately, in real life, there are laws in place to ensure that you’re being treated fairly and humanely throughout the interrogation process.
Law enforcement officers cannot use physical or psychological coercion to get a person of interest to say they’re guilty. These tactics are known to elicit false confessions. Interrogation laws are designed to ensure that the person who’s guilty is the one who does the time. If it’s found that the police did use coercive interrogation techniques or torture, an admission of guilt would be thrown out in court. Some examples of that would be threats of violence, abusive physical contact, drugging, or some other inhumane method of obtaining a confession.
Unfortunately, police can resort to blatant lying and trickery to obtain confessions. A common way cops do this is to say that a partner or loved one rolled over on them and is saying they’re guilty of everything. A lot of times, this is a complete lie and could either spur an emotional admission of guilt or prompt them to wrongfully confess.
By now, you’re probably wondering how the heck you can prove that you’re innocent if the police can hold you for hours and play mind games to get you to admit you committed a crime, you had nothing to do with. Well, the Law Office of John R. Teakell in Dallas, Texas has the answer.
#1: Be Quiet
You’re probably already familiar with your Miranda rights as the famous lines, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney.” While the show or movie you like to watch is fictional, these rights are 100% real and you should take advantage of them. In fact, if the interrogating officer fails to read you your Miranda rights, none of the information they collect will be admissible in court.
Generally, the only person who can force you to talk is a judge. Other than that, the only information you’re obligated to share with a police officer is identifying information like your name. If you’re pulled over for a traffic violation, you would be required to give them your license, registration, and proof of insurance.
#2: Don’t Take a Polygraph Without Consulting An Attorney
Polygraph results can come back inclusive which isn’t all that bad. The real problem is that sometimes, lie detector tests are wrong. This can quickly land you in a lot of trouble and may be unnecessary if there’s another way to get you released from holding or get your case dismissed.
#3: Stay Calm
The police can’t threaten you and they can only force you to speak if they’ve obtained a grand jury subpoena. A grand jury subpoena is a written order requiring you to appear in court and testify about any information that you have.
John R. Teakell– Dallas Miranda Rights Attorney
You have the right to legal counsel, a humane interrogation, and a fair trial. If you take care of the first step and reach out to John R. Teakell for legal representation, he will ensure that the rest follows. Call today to schedule an initial consultation and begin planning your defense with a successful and experienced criminal defense attorney. As a former federal prosecutor, you can rest assured that this is one attorney that knows the ins and outs of your Miranda rights and is fully prepared to represent you in court.
