Wichita Criminal Defense Attorney | How You Should Handle a Police Interrogation

According to the Midwest Innocence Project, “In more than 25 percent of DNA exoneration cases, innocent defendants made incriminating statements, delivered outright confessions, or pled guilty.” Such statistics show that confessions are not always prompted by internal knowledge or actual guilt, which is very concerning.

Our Wichita criminal defense attorneys at the McConnell Law Firm have developed some tips on how to best handle a police interrogation:

Know What Constitutes an Interrogation

We’re all familiar with the types of interrogations we see on TV that take place in a small, brightly lit room at a police headquarters. However, it is important to understand that a seemingly friendly conversation with a police officer could also be an interrogation. Even if their questions sound friendly, it is vital that you do not say anything self-incriminating, which may mean saying nothing at all.

Know Common Interrogation Tactics

• Good Cop, Bad Cop: Often one or two interrogators will play a “good cop” and “bad cop” role in order to scare you and then soften you into providing information you did not plan to provide or into providing a confession. Try your best to remain calm, but guarded.
• Promising to Release You: Even if an interrogator tells you that you will be allowed to leave once you have told them what they want or have confessed, you cannot trust that this is the case.
• Lying About Evidence or Other Individuals: It is legal for interrogators to lie about evidence, other witnesses and other suspects. Even if you are told that your guilt or the guilt of someone else has been proven, do not be coerced into saying something you should not.
• Threatening Arrest: An interrogator is not legally allowed to touch you violently or repeatedly move you during an interrogation. If you have chosen to remain silent and the interrogator has then threatened to arrest you for obstruction of justice or any other offense, try to remain calm.

Consider Invoking Your Fifth Amendment Right

Prior to being interrogated, the police should read you your Miranda Rights, which inform you of your right to remain silent. At any point before or during the interrogation, you may invoke your right to remain silent and request an attorney, which is often the best course of action.

If you have been interrogated, charged with a crime, or even convicted of a crime, please contact our Wichita criminal defense attorneys directly at (316) 243-5903. We look forward to speaking with you!