The Police Want to Speak with Me What Should I do?

All criminal cases start with an investigation by the authorities. The investigation can be as simple as a police officer watching a man stumble out of a bar and get behind the wheel. Others can be more complex. The authorities can spend years monitoring, surveilling, and gathering evidence before anyone is charged with a crime.

If you are a target of a criminal investigation, there is likely going to be a time when the authorities want to come and speak with you (usually at the end, but that is not always the case). What should you do or say? From my perspective, there is only one option: refuse to speak without first consulting a lawyer.

If you are the target of a criminal investigation, the goal of the authorities is to obtain enough evidence to obtain a conviction at trial. So when the authorities come and speak with you, they're not trying to help you, they're trying to nail you. By speaking, you are aiding them in your prosecution. Don't do it.

As a criminal defense attorney, I have seen many flimsy cases become strong cases solely based on statements made by the Defendant. So please avoid the temptation to do so. If the investigation has gotten to the point where they want to speak with you, there is nothing that you can do or say that is going to end it (you aren't going to talk your way out of trouble). The best thing you can do in that situation is say the following: "Sir or Madam, thank you but I don't wont to speak with you, without my attorney present."