Understanding the Criminal Justice System
Facing a criminal charge can be scary and overwhelming. The legal process is much more complicated than a simple traffic ticket. You want to help yourself, but it’s hard to know what to do or where to turn. In this article, we’ll talk about what you shouldn’t do if you’re facing a criminal charge, and what you should do instead.
Let’s start with the most obvious way to complicate your criminal case. During the time of arrest, you are not required to answer questions from the police. To arrest, a police officer only needs probable cause, but this doesn’t mean that you will actually be charged just because you were arrested. However, if you mistakenly admit fault when speaking to the police, you likely will be arrested. Instead, you can ask for an attorney to speak for you to make sure that your thoughts are expressed clearly and appropriately.
Talking to others about the incident is also not a good idea. After a traumatic event like an arrest, it’s natural to want to talk about it and your feelings with people close to you. But just like when speaking with the police, what you say to your friends and family can be used against you in court. Instead, hire an attorney and give the attorney your version of events and your thoughts about the matter. Your attorney client communications are confidential.
In the digital age it can feel completely natural to take to social media and tell the world your side of the story. But just like conversations with friends and family, your tweets and Instagram and Facebook posts can be used against you in court. Just picture that tweet blown up on a poster for a jury or judge! Instead, limit your communications about the incident to your attorney.
It can be tempting to want to contact someone else involved in the incident to tell your side of the story, apologize for a misunderstanding, or convince the victim that it wasn’t you, but this is a mistake. Anything you say can be used against you in court. Moreover, you could face consequences or additional charges for contacting the victim in the first place. Instead, call your attorney and discuss the incident.
Do you have a photo of the crime scene or video of the incident? Don’t delete that evidence from your phone because this could be a crime as well. Instead, ask your attorney about what you have and how it should be handled. Whatever you do, don’t post it on the internet.
As you can see, it can be easy to make a criminal charge into something far more complicated. Keep things simple and avoid discussing the incident with anyone other than your attorney, don’t post on social media, and don’t destroy any potential evidence. If you are facing a criminal charge in Indiana, contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Razumich & Associates.
