What to Expect When Speaking to the Police

Someone who is accused of a crime, whether or not they have been charged yet, may be interviewed by the police. The interview is designed to help with a conviction, so it is not a good idea for the accused to answer questions without their lawyer. The accused should invoke their right to legal representation, then decline to answer questions until their lawyer is present. If the accused does go through with the interview, below is what they can expect.

Expect a Lot of Questions About the Same Thing

The officers will often ask the same questions, sometimes phrased differently, as a way to try to get different answers. If the same question is answered two different ways, it’s possible the person being interviewed is lying. The accused should watch out for questions that seem similar to ones already asked, and make sure they are not telling the story of what happened differently each time they talk about it.

Expect Accusations to Inspire a Confession

Police officers want to get a confession, as this means the trial can likely be skipped and the accused will be convicted of the crime. Often, officers will state what they believe happened in an attempt to get the accused to confess. This could be done by the accused telling the officers they’re right and that’s what happened or by talking about what really happened, even if it seems to incriminate the accused.

Expect Questions Designed to be Tricky to Answer

The police officers may ask questions that are designed to be more difficult or tricky to answer. The goal here is often to catch the accused in a lie or to obtain statements that can be used against the accused when the case goes to trial. If the accused doesn’t understand a question, they can ask for clarification. Otherwise, they can decline to answer any questions if they believe the answer can incriminate them.

Expect Questions They Already Know the Answer To

In many cases, police officers will ask questions they already know the answer to as a way to gauge when the accused lies and when they’re telling the truth. If the accused answers these questions incorrectly, the officers will believe the accused is lying. This is one of the times when having an attorney can be incredibly helpful, as the accused will want to avoid lying but still make sure they’re not making any incriminating statements.

Going through a police interrogation is more difficult than it looks in the movies and on TV. The questions asked are designed to either lead to a conviction or gather evidence against the accused, and there’s usually nothing in the interrogation that will help the accused avoid charges. Instead, if you’re ever asked to do an interview with police officers and believe they could be ready to accuse you of a crime, it’s a better idea to refuse to answer any questions without a lawyer. Visit now to learn more about how a criminal defense attorney can help with an interrogation or to hire an attorney for your case.