It is unlikely that anyone has ever left their home in the morning and
thought that they would get arrested that day. Most people who have run-ins
with the law are caught completely off-guard, having not even done anything
wrong. At least, they don’t think that they’ve done anything
wrong. This element of surprise and unexpectedness can be unsettling and
upsetting, which often leads people to make some pretty bad mistakes during
and after their arrest.
If you are ever told you are being arrested, avoid doing these five things
that can make the situation even worse:
-
Resisting: If a police officer wants to arrest you, let them. You might know 100%
that you are innocent or that the arrest is wrongful, but any sort of
resistance can be seen as a crime and can escalate the situation into
violence. When everything is said and done, you will be happier and healthier
if you move slowly, deliberately, and never resist.
-
Talking too much: Saying pretty much anything to a police officer while you are under arrest
is automatically not the best idea. You can give them basic identifying
information – i.e. who you are – but anything else is unnecessary
and not in your best interest. Police are often suspicious of people who
won’t stop talking, so only say what absolutely needs to be said.
-
Agreeing to cooperate: You cannot lie to the police but they can pretty much say whatever they
want to you. Sometimes an officer will offer you leniency if you cooperate.
Not only are they not in control of charges, prosecution, and sentencing,
but they are also probably just trying to get you to admit guilt. Don’t
fall for it – stay silent and evoke your Fifth Amendment rights.
-
Implicating another person: Speaking of cooperation, you should not start listing off other people
who the police may be looking “instead of you.” You might
actually have good information about an actual criminal, but telling them
this upfront validates their arrest even more since it would seem you
knew some, if not a lot, about the crime in question.
-
Not hiring a lawyer: The police and law enforcement department in your county or city have more
resources than you do alone, but that doesn’t mean they have more
power. When you are offered your first phone call while arrested or detained,
use it to call a criminal defense lawyer who can come to your aid as soon
as possible.
Our Washington D.C. criminal defense attorneys at Hunter & Johnson,
PLLC are always ready to fight for our clients’ rights at a moment’s
notice. If you are arrested in our nation’s capital, don’t
hesitate to
contact us when you are given the opportunity by dialing
202.759.7929.