Many people believe that they are not supposed to lie to the police, fearing charges of obstruction of justice or something of this nature. By the same token, they assume that the police officers have to be honest with them.
But is this actually true? It is not. It is legal for a police officer to lie to you in many situations. They may do so during an interrogation. They are not required to be honest, and they can use these lies as a way to manipulate you into revealing information or giving a confession.
How would they do it?
One example of how police officers do this is by claiming that they have evidence that doesn’t exist. This could be the statement of another individual.
Say that you and someone else were both arrested on accusations of shoplifting. The police separate you and ask you questions. You adamantly claim that you were not shoplifting and that it is a mistake. But then the police might tell you that the other person already confessed and that this ordeal will go a lot better for you if you will just also confess.
Regardless of whether or not you were shoplifting, the police may not actually have that confession. They just made it up in an effort to get you to give them the confession that they’re looking for. Tactics like this are often used on young offenders, who may be more easily swayed, but they could be used on anyone.
Exploring your defense options
This is just one of the reasons why it’s so important not to talk to the police without your legal team at your side and to know about all of the different options that you have.
