I have been asked this question twice this week.
One of the questions came from a person who is being questioned for a murder investigation!
Before going into more detail, let me just say that there are more people in prison today because they talked to the police than any other reason. Not DNA, not fingerprints, not eyewitnesses. It’s not even close.
All too often, people talk themselves right into prison.
If the police in Fort Walton Beach or Okaloosa County want to talk to you, that means they SUSPECT you are guilty, but they can’t prove it yet. If they had enough evidence, they would have arrested you already!
It is very, very rare for someone to “talk themselves” out of trouble. This may hurt to hear, but the police are smarter about this stuff than you are. They know how to trip you up, take things out of context, and wear you down until you are willing to say/do whatever they want.
Let me give you a perfect example: Let’s say you were out with your friends and one of your friends got into a fight and someone got badly hurt. Let’s say you didn’t actively participate in the fight, but you were there. The police will probably tell you that your not a suspect; that they just want to talk to you as a witness; to find out what happened. So they start asking you questions, and you answer them truthfully. You tell them that you were there. You tell them that maybe you helped one of your friends when he had two guys on him. Guess what? You just talked yourself into an arrest as an accomplice to a felony battery charge.
See how easy it is to go from a witness to a defendant?
So what should you do if the police want to question you about your involvement in a serious crime?
Very simply: Say NO! Be polite and respectful but firm. Tell the police you do not wish to waive any of your rights. Tell them that you have nothing to say to them without your attorney being present.
I will close by saying this: By the time the police ask to question you, they have already decided you are guilty. What they are looking for is for you to make their case for them by saying something incriminating.
Your best bet is to say NO to the police. Then call the best criminal defense lawyer you can find.
If you or a family member is being investigated by the police, or if the police want to question you about involvement in a crime in Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Niceville, Navarre, Milton, or anywhere in Okaloosa County or Santa Rosa County, I urge you to call me 24/7 at (850) 243-6097. I will get to work right away protecting your rights and your freedom.
