DO NOT say ANYTHING to the Police!

[Uncle Gizmo]

DO NOT say ANYTHING to the Police!

https://youtu.be/d-7o9xYp7eE

 

[MarkK]

I did not follow the link, but I agree. It is not a crime for the police to lie to you, but it is a crime for you to lie to the police. This discrepancy in the basic ground rules of interaction with authorities leaves each of us at a serious disadvantage in any conversation we might have with them.

Keep your mouth shut. Then, eventually, if you think you should talk, don't. Then, shut up.

Also, welcome to the 21st century, where agents of the state are probably your enemies. Brave and new, this world seems.

Mark

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

It's an excellent video Mark. Although it's american-based, and obviously there are some differences between America and UK, I think the basic principles are about right! As you say the police can lie, but if you do, you are in the Do Do... The police can take your statement out of context and Stitch you up like that! Assuming it's the same in the UK (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) your statement is classed as Hearsay. You can't refer to it in court, but the police can! They can just take any part of it and twist the words to suit themselves! A recent case involved an athlete who was accused of taking drugs, she made a statement saying she hadn't taken drugs. Because there was a statement on record she got a prison sentence where otherwise she would have probably only been fined.

 

[Mark_]

"On the advice of counsel, I request counsel to be present"

 

[Frothingslosh]

I have a few friends who are criminal defense attorneys, and without exception they all agree that the first rule in talking to the cops is to shut the hell up and let your lawyer do it.

Period.

 

[Frothingslosh]

Oh, Gizmo - in the US, the Hearsay Rule kicks in when your testimony is that someone told you that someone else said something. https://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=859

Testifying as to what you said is perfectly acceptable, as is testifying about what was said to you as long as it doesn't run afoul of that rule above. That said, there are also a ton of exceptions to it, such as when a valid record exists confirming the hearsay, or when the hearsay itself is irrelevant and instead points to, say, the speaker's knowledge or lack of knowledge about something. (Example: "Pete told me that Jim told him that he had just killed his girlfriend" can be used to show that Pete knew about the killing, but not as evidence against Jim. Also note that it is a confession that YOU knew about the murder....)

This all, however, applies to testimony in court, and not talking to the cops.

The rule there remains: DO NOT TALK TO POLICE WITHOUT YOUR LAWYER PRESENT, PERIOD.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I'm quite well versed on American law, I watch Judge Judy all the time!

Top 10 Best Judge Judy Moments

 

[Frothingslosh]

LOL

I don't, as a rule, watch TV, but I do find her quite entertaining.

 

[Mark_]

I'm quite well versed on American law, I watch Judge Judy all the time!

Top 10 Best Judge Judy Moments

Must mean the late, great, Benny Hill was a perfect source on learning police procedures! Also explains why "High speed chases" are not broadcast, trying to keep the band close to the chase must be very taxing!

 

[aimprosoft]

DO NOT say ANYTHING to the Police!

... because everything can be used against you? ))

 

[The_Doc_Man]

aimprosoft - check out the video in Uncle's post if you haven't already. The first several minutes are enough.