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NO! If you are being accused of a crime, it is advisable to consult with a lawyer as soon as possible, certainly before speaking with law enforcement officers.
In the meantime, if a law enforcement officer wants to question you, you can invoke your right to remain silent by simply stating “I want to talk to an attorney before answering any questions,” or say “ I am not making any statement” to any questions you are being asked. Just state your name, address, SSN, and phone number. Nothing else.
If you think this doesn’t apply to your case, you are wrong. During my 30 years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer, I have seen many cases damaged beyond repair by statements made in good faith and out of good intentions. Police officers will commonly question a person simply to obtain enough evidence against the person to build a case.
Talking to police officers before consulting a lawyer is nearly always a poor decision, even if you are totally innocent. A statement that a private individual may have intended as an innocent explanation will often be viewed by authorities as a confession.
The Police often will lead a suspect to believe that cooperation will be rewarded by leniency when in reality, the police will deny making any such promises… and the judge will usually believe them. Rarely will a police officer stand up for a defendant. In the end, it is the prosecutor and the judge that determine punishment, not the police.
Remember, before making any decision, it is vitally important to get the advice of a criminal defense attorney.
The ohiocrimelawyer.com website is designed for general information only. Any information on this site is not to be construed as formal legal advice from a criminal defense lawyer, a DUI lawyer, a family law lawyer or estate planning, wills, trusts, and probate lawyer, nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. Persons accessing this site are encouraged to seek personal advice regarding their individual legal issues.
The attorneys in our law firm primarily service Portage County courts (Ravenna and Kent), and Summit County courts (Akron, Stow, Barberton). Cases in all other courts in North East Ohio, such as Cuyahoga County courts, are handled under specific terms and conditions.