When you’re charged with a criminal offense, the prosecution is going to come at you full force. After all, their job is to get a conviction and impose the toughest penalties they can manage. Although that can be scary to think about, you don’t have to sit back and let the prosecution take control of your case. Instead, you can diligently work to build an aggressive criminal defense that seeks to beat the prosecution, thereby leading to reduced charges, minimized penalties, or even dismissed charges or an acquittal.
While there are several defense strategies you can implement to try to protect yourself in your criminal case, one of the main things you need to do is ensure that you don’t make avoidable mistakes that could land you deep trouble.
Mistakes to avoid in your criminal case
A lot of people don’t realize that there are a multitude of mistakes that can be made during a criminal investigation and during the pendency of a criminal case. As a result, a lot of accused individuals end up making costly mistakes that ultimately lead to their conviction.
You certainly don’t want to be your own worst enemy in your criminal case, which is why you’ll want to be cognizant of and diligently work to avoid the following mistakes:
- Talking to the police: Many accused individuals think they can avoid criminal charges and reduce suspicion by talking to the police. But trying to talk your way out of trouble is probably going to lead to more incrimination than you expect. After all, the police can lie to you, twist your words out of context, and pressure you into making statements that will be used against you later. So, you’re better off not talking to the police unless and until advised by your attorney to do so.
- Talking about your case to loved ones: The stress of a criminal investigation can be overwhelming. That’s why many people who are the subject of one of these investigations discuss the circumstances with their loved ones. While this might provide a momentary sense of relief, it can spell trouble in your criminal case because the prosecutor can subpoena those individuals and thereby compel them to testify against you.
- Concealing or destroying evidence: Some defendants in criminal cases think they escape suspicion and charges by hiding or getting rid of incriminating evidence. Doing so is against the law, and the prosecutor and the court will find out about it anyway. Once they do, it’s going to be hard to avoid a perception of guilt.
- Consenting to a search: You might think it’s hard to tell the police “no” when they ask if they can search your home or your vehicle, but in most instances they’re going to need your consent or a valid warrant in order to conduct that search. Don’t hand the police the evidence they need to charge you. Force them to follow legal requirements be securing a warrant. You never know, they may not even have the probable cause they need to obtain the warrant, which will help insulate you from criminal charges and conviction.
Know how to aggressively protect yourself in your criminal case
These are just some of the ways that you can protect yourself in your criminal case. If you want a robust criminal defense that aggressively fights back against the prosecution, then you need to know your defense options and how to utilize them to your advantage. That’s why now is the time to research the law, apply the law to the facts of your case, and develop the legal strategy that best positions you for success.