Alex Murdaugh was Found Guilty Because he Talked to the Police. You Could be too.
Alex Murdaugh sat in a crowded cop car with three police officers answering question after question after question. They then came back and he did it again and again and again. As this happened, these officers just smiled. Not long ago, he was found guilty of murder and a big part of the reason he was convicted was because of those statements. Remember, it give the police a baseline that locks a suspect into a box from which that can’t escape and colors everything that happens afterward. Talking to the police as a suspect may be the most common and singular mistake people make at the beginning of a police investigation. Even more, if you think that not talking to the police will look bad, this is exactly what the police are hoping you will think. If you are facing criminal charges in Minnesota, before you do anything, ask for a lawyer and then sit down with an experienced Minnesota criminal defense attorney.
If Alex Murdaugh had not talked to the police, he may have been found Not Guilty of murder. It’s just a fact.”
Talking to the Police
A confession is the most powerful piece of evidence in a prosecution. Other statements by the Defendant are right behind that. Because the police know this, the police will tell you that they just want to get your side of the story. They may be friendly, sympathetic, convincing, act confused, or maybe even be “on your side.” They are not. Their agenda is very specific and it is not yours. It’s important to remember that:
the police will lie to you and tell you things that aren’t true in order to get statements out of you. They will tell you things they know that they don’t or outright falsehoods.;
the police are not on your side in a criminal investigation;
they are trying to build and case against you and they want a baseline and a timeline that you create;
they want to be able to use your words against you.;
because you are under stress, scared, injured, confused, the police are trying to exploit all of these things to lock in a story that they can pick apart later;
they will take down every word and they will almost certainly misinterpret those words to fit their narrative if it suits them;
“I have seen many people go to prison simply because of the statements they made to the police. Without those, it wouldn’t have happened.”
If you are facing a criminal investigation, the police want to get to their suspects as fast as possible and absolutely before they are smart enough to ask for a lawyer. Don’t fall for this. If you are facing an officer who just wants to hear your side of the story, make the smart decision and ask for a lawyer.
“I’ve had conversations with police interrogators who laugh at people and their lawyers who think talking to the police is a good idea.”
Jack Rice is a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist, former CIA Officer and former prosecutor. Jack is also a nationally known and award winning criminal defense attorney. Contact Jack Rice Defense for a free confidential consultation or call 651-447-7650 or 612-227-1339. Jack’s got your back.