Being accused or charged with a crime can be a scary and stressful situation. Unfortunately, you may do things that make your situation even worse.
Once you are aware of the accusation or charges against you, you must think carefully about what you do. Knowing what to avoid will also help in these situations. Here are three major mistakes to avoid:
1. Resisting arrest
People are arrested every day. While it may be a first for you, you mustn’t resist the officer who is trying to arrest you.
You should try to stay calm even if you feel angry or scared. Resisting arrest will make the bad situation worse and may result in additional charges being filed against you.
2. Not using your right to remain silent
When you are arrested, you have the right to remain silent. It is best to invoke this right.
The police will ask you questions and try to get you to give them the information they can use against you. By remaining silent, you can avoid incriminating yourself.
Eventually, you will need to give a statement to investigators. While this is true, you should not do this until you have legal representation present. This is your right and one you should take advantage of when facing criminal charges.
3. Withholding information from your attorney
You seek legal counsel in a criminal case to help you with the charges. However, if you do not tell them everything, there is no way that they can fully defend your situation. You must be honest to give your case the best chance at a successful outcome.
You have rights if you have been accused or charged with a crime. It is important to protect your rights by avoiding the mistakes above.