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Many people are under the mistaken impression that if you ask a police officer if he or she is, indeed, a police officer, the officer is bound by the law to tell the truth, but this is not always the case. In fact, police officers frequently alter their identities to provide them with leverage when investigating potentially criminal conduct. If you have questions or concerns regarding a criminal charge, don’t wait to consult with an experienced Gatesville criminal defense attorney.
Would I Lie to You?
If police officers are allowed to lie about something as elemental as their identity, it begs the question of what kind of limitations there are on officers regarding when lying is off-limits. While there are some parameters in place, officers have considerable leeway in the matter of providing misleading information to the public.
Lying about Evidence in Their Possession
Before an officer can hold you for interrogation, you must be advised of your legal rights, which include the right to remain silent and the right to have legal counsel. These are both rights that you should avail yourself of as early on in the process as possible because the fact is that police officers can lie about the evidence they have against you – and they are not likely to be above doing so. Hearing that the police have definitive evidence against you can push even the sturdiest (and most innocent) among us to confess, which is exactly why you should not speak until you are advised to do so by an experienced criminal defense attorney who is up to speed with your case.
I Saw That
Another common sleight of hand that police officers like to employ is relaying that any one of the following applies to your case:
They have a witness who says he or she saw you doing whatever it is you are accused of having done.
They have surveillance footage or videotape that captures you doing whatever it is you are accused of having done.
Someone has come forward with incriminating evidence that strongly suggests that you are guilty of doing whatever it is you are accused of having done.
Any one of these can feel very damning – as if your case is open and shut from the outset – but this is far from the reality of the situation. In truth, eyewitnesses are notoriously unreliable (even when they are telling the absolute truth from their perspective), and video surveillance is notoriously grainy and ineffectual at positively identifying people. Further, this could be a ruse on the part of the officer – made in an attempt to coax a false confession out of you.
An Experienced Gatesville Criminal Defense Attorney Is Standing by to Help
Brett Pritchard at The Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard in Gatesville, Texas, is a savvy criminal defense attorney who is well prepared and well-positioned to help you. To learn more, please do not hesitate to contact or call us at 254-501-4040 today.
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