Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Attorney for Police Interviews

Have you or Someone You Know Been asked to Voluntarily Speak with the Police?

Right now, at this very moment, A Police Officer, Detective or Federal Agent is politely but sternly stating the following phrase to someone you know:  "Would you be willing to answer a few questions to clear up some things for our investigation?"

The reality is that the person being asked the question is a suspect in a crime and the investigative officer wants the suspect to answer questions until the officer feels they have enough evidence for an arrest . . . no matter how long the questioning lasts.

Should you Voluntarily Submit to a Police Interview?

NO! The Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution and Article I, Section 9 of the Pennsylvania Constitution provides an absolute right against self-incrimination for a reason. Use it. Under no circumstances should you voluntarily submit to police questioning.

I know what you are thinking: "I'm innocent! There is no way they can arrest me. It's just a misunderstanding and I will simply go down to the police station, tell my story and they will let me go."

Sadly, many people have thought the same thing before you and have ended up serving life sentences for crimes they did not commit. How do I know this? Simple: Today, the Innocence Project reports that Over 250 people have been exonerated and released from prison after being convicted for crimes they did not commit.  Some of the reasons the individuals were convicted included, eyewitness misidentification, false confessions/admissions and government misconduct.

The vast majority of individuals who submit to a police interview without an attorney are arrested and charged after the interview. Why? Several factors include, but are not limited to: lengthened interviews, duress, misunderstanding of the purpose of the interview, threat of a harsh sentence, coercion and pure ignorance of the law. The sole purpose of the interrogation is to have the suspect give more evidence so that the person can be arrested.

Why do I Need a Criminal Defense Attorney to Speak with Police?

Experienced Attorneys become experienced for a reason: They have seen certain situations over and over again and have developed a keen sense of where things could lead if permitted to continue.  If you are asked to submit to police interview you need an Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer by your side to advise you on your rights before and possibly, during the interview.

You are totally within your rights to consult with an attorney prior to speaking with Police.  Don't make the mistake of thinking you can talk yourself out of the situation.  What the officer will not tell you is that, in the majority of cases, the Rules of Evidence prohibit the officer from testifying in Court about anything you told them that would help your case, but the same restriction does not apply when it comes to testifying to damaging information that comes out of the interview.  In sum, you cannot help yourself or your situation by speaking with police without an Experienced Criminal Lawyer.

Contact Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Attorney Frank Walker for your Police Interview

Attorney Walker has consulted hundreds of clients before and during police interviews. He understands the Criminal Rules and why certain questions are being asked of a potential suspect. If you have been contacted by police and requested to voluntarily submit to a police interview, Contact Attorney Walker for a free and immediate consultation at 412.281.5423 or 412.401.1764.