We all love crime shows – especially the way the cases are resolved so tidily. Heck, even the music is catchy. While it is all well and good to stay up late bingeing on Law & Order SVU, it is a mistake to rely upon these shows for your legal information. Although they are riddled with myths about the law, do not let this influence how much you enjoy them.
Myth One: The Timelines Are Not Based in Reality
You can watch a crime show in about 45 minutes, and you get that several days or even weeks pass in the interim, but there is also a lot of legal action going on in that span of time, and this kind of speed does not happen in Texas courtrooms (or anywhere else in the nation). The saying that the wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow is the truth of the matter. All of the following take a considerable amount of time:
Gathering evidence
Filing motions
Obtaining test results
Going to trial (Read more about your right to a fair and speedy trial)
Every step of the legal process is time-consuming – even for relatively minor cases – so any hopes you have of breezing through the legal process quickly are likely to be dashed.
Myth Two: Evidence Is Always Airtight
Crime shows often begin with fingerprints and end with a bang – as the evidence and the facts align in a perfect narrative arc. In reality, evidence is often sorely lacking. Finding perfect fingerprints – or anything else – is rare, and most evidence is only as good as the available database, which generally consists of information related only to prior offenders. In reality, defense attorneys can often challenge a prosecutor’s evidence against you.
Related: What If I Accidentally Destroy Evidence in Texas?
Myth Three: Security Footage Is Magically Enhanced
On the crime show, there is always grainy footage of a getaway car that an enhancement wizard is able to manipulate and pull the plate numbers from. In reality, this is very rarely – if ever – possible. In order to ensure there is enough data space for ongoing recording, security cameras record very low-resolution footage that is very limited when it comes to enhancement.
Myth Four: You Only Get One Phone Call
Although crime shows have been abusing this trope for decades, there is no rule that you only get one phone call if you are arrested. In fact, you might need to make several calls to make sure that someone is there for your children, that your family knows where you are, and that you get the ball rolling as far as hiring a criminal defense attorney goes. While there is no law about the number of calls you can make, you also have no definitive rights in this arena, which makes getting a hold of a loved one whom you can trust to take care of all the other details should be your first priority when you get a chance to make a call.
You Need an Experienced Killeen Criminal Defense Lawyer on Your Side
Brett Pritchard at The Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard is a dedicated Killeen criminal defense lawyer who is committed to using the full force of his considerable experience in pursuit of your case’s most beneficial resolution. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us online or call us at 254-501-4040 today.
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