Police Questioning in Montgomery County
When the police come to your door and start asking you questions, you have an absolute right to remain silent. You do not have to answer the police officer’s questions. You can politely explain to the police officer that you would like to have a Montgomery County criminal defense attorney present before you answer any further questions. While police officers can be intimidating, they must respect your request as it is within your rights to have a lawyer present when you speak with them. Call today to learn more.
During Montgomery County Police Stops
In most circumstances when a police officer stops you on the street, you are free to leave. You can politely let the officer know you do not wish to answer their questions and walk away. If the officer has a basis to continue to detain you, he will have to articulate that basis for the court, if the matter ever makes it that far. Therefore, even if an officer stops you, you do not have to answer his questions. You have an absolute right to remain silent and that is the appropriate thing to do, particularly if you believe you are being harassed or being asked questions which might elicit an incriminating response.
When police officers in Montgomery County stop you and start asking questions, they are asking for statements. If you feel like you are wary of where the questioning or interaction is headed, let the police officer know that you would like to speak with a Montgomery County criminal lawyer. It is crucial to your case that you ask to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. You may not always know the subject matter of the questions police officers are asking, you may not always know exactly what is being requested, and you might think the statements you are making are completely harmless to your case. However, there is the possibility that local law enforcement officials will take what you said, regardless of its actual content and meaning, and try to twist it into evidence they will use to incriminate you.
Why You Should Not Simply Cooperate
When an officer is detaining you and asking you questions, the officer is looking not only for incriminating statements about what you did, but also is sometimes looking to see whether you are nervous in responding to the questions. He may also be checking to see whether you are honest about some very innocuous things that you might find irrelevant to the investigation. You are answering questions but may be showing inconsistencies which could ultimately lead to discrediting you in other statements or aspects of the investigation, which could be detrimental to your defense.
When Detained by Montgomery County Police
It is very easy to ask the officer that question in a simple way. You can ask an officer whether you are free to leave or not. If the officer says you are free to leave, you know that you can leave and not answer any questions. If on the other hand the officer says that you are not free to leave, you are either being detained or you are under arrest, and you do not need to answer any questions at that point either. However, if you are being detained or are under arrest, the officer is not obligated to let you leave. When you know you are being detained or placed under arrest, request to speak with a Montgomery County criminal lawyer right away.