Denver Police Questioning

Who Can I Talk To?

You should only ever discuss the facts of your case with your attorney. You may be required to answer questions unrelated to your case if you are arrested or otherwise contacted by police. Those questions have to do with your identity, address, etc. However, you should never answer questions regarding your involvement in a crime outside the presence of your attorney.

Conversations with friends, family memebrs, or the people you meet in jail may not be privileged, and those people could be called as witnesses against you by the state.

If you need counsel on how to handle questions from others about your case, call Denver Defense Attorney Vernon Ready for a free consultation at (720) 201-3802

Just Say No

If police want to talk to you about a crime for which you could be charged, it is usually best to politely refuse, and request access to your attorney. Police talk to “suspects” because they want information to help them get a conviction. They may say they just want to clear something up, or eliminate you as a suspect. You should consider that police-code for “I want to send you to jail, please help me by talking”.

Common Myths About Dealing with Police

1 - If I am cooperative they are more likely to believe me (or go easier on me/not file charges). You will not get extra points or special treatment for helping police prosecute you. Furthermore, in most cases the police do not control which charges are eventually filed against you.

2- Asking for a lawyer makes me look guilty.
To whom? The police most likely already think you are guilty, so it makes no difference. Usually a jury doesn’t get to hear about your decision to remain silent or invoke your right to counsel. However, any statements you make can be used later in an attempt to convince the judge or jury that you lied.

3- If I tell them what they want to hear they will let me go.
Remember, if you are a suspect the police want to prosecute you, not understand why you did it and release you. You are never required to talk to police about your case, no matter what they tell you.

Consent to Search

The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable search and seizure by police. If you give police permission to search, that proetction is lost. Do not think that the police can search anyway if they want to. If police ask for consent, they probably need it. A search without consent may require a warrant and probable cause. Our Consitution gives everyone these rights, but the police will not invoke them for you.