Reply #7: that;'s simple , pat advice, but it's not necessarily the best advice

[paulsby]

i have had DEFENSE ATTORNEYS tell me they always tell their clients not to talk to police when questioned.

i asked him "what if they are innocent?"

he laughed. he said, he assumed his clients were committing crimes all the time and said IF they were innocent, he wouldn't have a problem with them talking, but that was hardly ever the case.

also, he readily admitted that it made HIS job easier if he got the case from the start w.o them talking to anybody. it wasn't necessarily better for the client

if i shot a guy IN MY HOUSE for example, who was a burglar, i would have no problem giving an initial statement w./o a lawyer present. before i gave a detailed/tape recorded statement, i would go over my statement with an attorney

note that , like in this case, the threshold statement would be more than enough for the cops at the scene to release me , as happened in this case.

as another example, i once arrested an attorney for brandishing and took him to the statement for questioning. an ATTORNEY

he provided a detailed statement as to self-defense, and i took it and released him

when the prosecutors got the case (i didn't cite him due to the self defense concerns, but simply forwarded it), they declined ot prosecute

BASED ON THE SUSPECT's statement

if he hadn't given a statement, they would have charged

again, this stuff happens all the time, but YOU don't hear about it, nor does media or defense attorneys since it NEVER GETS CHARGED, etl alone to trial

if the shooting you are involved in is sketchy, don't talk to police

if you are righteous, imo you should