As a criminal defense attorney dealing with a wide array of criminal cases in California, many times a client will contact my office when they are not charged with a crime but when they are first approached by either the police or a federal agency such as the FBI, DEA, ATF or one of the many other investigatory agencies that handle criminal investigations.

Understand one important thing; that if you are contacted by the police or a federal agency, the best time to contact a criminal defense attorney is now.

Often with the proper handling of a criminal matter, we have been able to quash a criminal investigation and have no charges filed against our clients.

In this blog I will discuss certain issues as they pertain to a criminal investigation where there have yet to be criminal charges filed. Every criminal case is unique and no two criminal cases go the same. That is why if you or a loved one are facing a criminal investigation and possible criminal charges, it is crucial to hire an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who will help you on your case. FOR A FREE CONSULTATION AND CASE REVIEW CALL US  AT 818 325-0570 OR CONTACT US HERE

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE POLICE OR FEDERAL AGENTS FIRST CONTACT YOU

It is the visit no one wants. Usually a person get a knock on the door at home and it is a police detective or a federal agent asking to see them and ask them questions. They will ask for you by name and usually leave business card if you are not home. Either way, when this occurs make sure to get the officer's contact information that way your criminal defense attorney can contact them later on your behalf.

Generally, they will be vague about what this is regarding but they will clue you in a little bit to gauge your reaction. They will ask you a series of questions that will seem innocent at first but are designed to lock you in on an answer for use at a later time against you.

The gut reaction will be to answer their questions and cooperate with the officer in an attempt to explain yourself. This is a huge mistake and may put you in a position where you will make statements, even those that seem innocent at the time that will later be used against you.

The course of action to take is to politely state that you would feel more comfortable if you have your criminal defense attorney present. The police officer may not like your answer and even try to convince you that getting a criminal defense attorney is not in your best interest and something only guilty people do.

That could not be further from the truth. Understand one thing; the police are in the business of arresting people, not helping them; that is the job of a criminal defense attorney. They know that if you get a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney, you will not make incriminating statements and there job will harder. Don't make the police's job easier demand a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney!

SHOULD YOU GIVE A STATEMENT TO THE POLICE?

The short answer is absolutely not! Let your criminal defense attorney speak to them.

It is second nature for a person who is accused or suspected of a crime to want to explain themselves. Most times, people will make up a story that they think will make them sound good and try to explain themselves out of the situation. This is the biggest mistake people often make in a criminal case.

As a matter of fact, more often than not when people come to my office for a consultation on their criminal matter, the first story they tell me is the one they came up with and not what really happened.

I tell everyone the same thing. The more your criminal defense attorney knows the better he can help you in resolving your criminal matter. You tell me the story and let me use my extensive experience a criminal defense attorney to come up with a defense.

That is why when deciding whether or not to give a statement it is best to make that decision with a criminal defense attorney. Most times, I will investigate the case and elicit information form a law enforcement agency to make that determination. Most of the time, I will advise my client to decline giving a statement.

The rule of thumb is that if the police have enough information to arrest you, they will. So if they are trying to get a statement, there must be problems with their case. Don't help the police file criminal charges against you. Hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. FOR A FREE CONSULTATION AND CASE REVIEW CALL US AT 818 325-0570 TODAY