Anything you state can put you in a difficult situation when you get charged. Regardless of why and how you face a criminal charge, it’s essential to recognize what NOT to do to protect your legal right to a strong defense.
You need to be extra careful while dealing with a criminal charge, as some entities are waiting to take advantage of your worries and use them against you.
First thing first, let’s examine the five most common mistakes people make when facing a criminal charge.
5 Common Mistakes People Make When Facing Criminal Charges
- Resistance to arrest
Face reality, most people get panic and try to resist; that is the biggest mistake of all. Even if you have done a crime, stand for it. It will make things go worse for you and your case. It could lead to even more charges on your name when trying to free yourself from the previous one.
Be respectful, polite, and calm while dealing with the police. But it does not mean that you tell them everything they ask. Refuse to answer anything, whether it’s a piece of evidence or questions. Your answers can be used against you to strengthen the charges you are facing.
- Fail to contact a criminal defense lawyer
Whenever you get arrested, ask for a lawyer. If you are not connected to the justice system and don’t know how it works, you should immediately contact your lawyer or tell the police to get you a lawyer before anything else. The lawyer will better be able to protect your legal rights and guide you through the criminal justice system.
Your lawyer can help drop the charges by presenting the evidence supporting you. Although, if you are guilty, your lawyer can negotiate with the prosecution to minimize the penalties or charges. All of this can happen if you hire a professional lawyer. If you get into a court trial, the lawyer can ensure your rights are protected throughout the case.
- Providing evidence to the police
The police will ask if you have any other evidence. We do not want you to hand this evidence straight to the police. It can be anything, and we advise you not to provide the police with ANYTHING! For example, if the police ask for your body fluid samples or fingerprints, you should ask for a court order before doing that.
Do not hand over your mobile phone passwords, laptop, or other personal things that could be used against you.
- Social Media Posting
In the era of social networking, we love to post everything on social media. In the case of criminal defense, the prosecutors look for evidence by monitoring your social media accounts.
I must say, sharing anything on social media is a BIG mistake.
If you think anything you share with your friends and family can not be traced by prosecutors. You are mistaken. Even if they forward that info with a good intention of helping, it can be used by that person negatively.
- Hiding information from your attorney
You should never hide information from your attorney, as he will not be able to help you if he doesn’t know the whole story. Enlighten him with all the evidence, suspects, facts, or other details related to your case.
Conclusion
This article covered the mistakes to avoid Criminal law firm Toronto has seen many people making when facing criminal charges. You should never hand away any evidence, your fingerprint, to the police. Most importantly, you should get an attorney as soon as possible to protect your legal rights. The lawyer will help you get over the Criminal charges or reduce your sentence. Avoiding posting on social media is a must.