Monday, August 14, 2006

Your rights

You have the right to remain silent.

If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.

You have the right to an attorney and to have an attorney present during questioning.

If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you at no cost.

During any questioning, you may decide at any time to exercise these rights, not answer any questions, or make any statements.

Let's go over this again. After the first sentence, it should be clear what you should do. Please, just remain silent! Stop trying to be cooperative. If the police have gone this far and they are giving you this warning - it is because they suspect you of something and they want you to make statements that will incriminate you or in some way tie you to the crime that is being investigated. Now if you STILL feel like you might want to make some kind of a statement, why not call an attorney? An attorney is a person that knows about the law and you want him there for you. Why? because they just told you that "anything you say can and will be used against you in court." What? you don't know an attorney? You are scared that it might cost too much money? It is free. They have to provide an attorney, at no cost to you. If the nice officer (who just wants to help you) gets you to start talking - remember - at any time you can just STOP TALKING!

In my 25 years as a law enforcement officer, most of those years as a detective, questioning hundreds of suspects, how many times do you think someone requested an attorney? . . . 3 times, yup, that's all, 3 times! Why? because I was SO nice, SO caring, SO compassionate.

Please don't be fooled by the nice cop. Exercise your right to remain silent. shhhhhhhhh!!!

11 comments:

Motherkitty said...

Thank goodness I've never been in trouble with the law!!!! I don't think I would want to meet you in the police station because if I ever started talking, I just might tell you the story of my life (without having an attorney present). Were you the "good cop" half of the equation?

Thanks for reminding us to keep our big traps shut in times of trouble.

bob mullen said...

Well they are talking about extending police powers over here so they can ban people from town centres, confiscate cars, ban drivers, order groups to disperse etc, etc, I wonder if this will become law.

TUFFENUF said...

Yes, Bob, I think we will see more of our rights taken away in the name of "fighting terror". It is quite scary.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Thanks for the advise, but I hope I never need it, but I will remember it.

Only 3 times? That's amazing...I would have thought that more people would exercise their miranda rights.

Jellyhead said...

This is fascinating. Only 3 times? Incredible!

Like Sandy, I hope I never need your wise advice, but just in case, I will remember what you've said!

Joann said...

I have nothing to say.

TUFFENUF said...

(Good job Joann!)

Pat said...

LOL Joann!

Kerri said...

Gosh, I hope I don't ever need to exercise that right! Scary thought!
Me, not talk? Ha! Fat chance of that!
Amazing, only 3 times...wow!

Paradise Driver said...

You might get a kick out of this encounter I had with a young Mau'i police officer.

Susan Tidwell said...

"You have the right to remain silent"

When I first read this post I assumed it was about your former job, but when you didn't post for a few days, I figured it also applied to blogging. Some bloggers feel the need to post daily, to meet the expectations of their audience. But you are telling us that it is okay to remain silent! Thanks!