On the whole, the police generally do a good job of identifying the likely suspect. However, in some cases, people do get wrongly accused of committing a crime. There can be many reasons why this might happen and it could happen to you. This article is intended to help you with some useful tips for what to do when you get wrongly accused of committing a crime.
Hire A Lawyer
Undoubtedly the best thing to do if you are accused of a crime you did not commit, is to hire a lawyer. You would hope that your innocence would be enough to acquit you of any charges held against you, but sometimes you could be in a coincidentally compromising position.
As mentioned by ADRAS & ALTIG, Attorneys at Law, it is in the defendant’s best interest to hire a good defence lawyer, rather than just accepting the court-appointed public defender. Although you might think it seems like a guilty thing to hire a lawyer to defend you, it is just the most sensible option, so that you don’t accidentally incriminate yourself in something you didn’t do. Hiring a lawyer is the best thing you can do if you are wrongly accused of a crime.
Stay Calm
Easier said than done, staying calm when you have been accused of committing a crime is important. You need to be able to think clearly about what is happening and make sure you don’t panic and do something stupid. Occasionally, the police will arrest someone to try and put pressure on them to confess to a crime, even if they aren’t convinced they did it.
It is a bit of a shot in the dark for them but sometimes it pays off. By staying calm you can be sure that you won’t say or do anything that makes them think that you did commit the crime. Take a breath and relax, if you know you didn’t do it then you should be okay.
Know Your Rights
As mentioned above, the police might be throwing some stuff around just to see what sticks. In this instance, you really must know your rights. Everyone has the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney, and the right to refuse a warrantless search of their property. Occasionally the police can be sneaky and try to get away with doing things that technically they are not supposed to get some clues or information that otherwise would have been tricky to obtain. Don’t be fooled by what they tell you, if you understand your basic rights then ask for what you are owed.
Do Not Resist Arrest
Despite it being a natural reaction to being arrested for something you did not do, you must not resist arrest. Even if you are not guilty of the crime they are arresting you for, resisting arrest is a crime in and of itself. The best thing you can do is cooperate and try to understand what is happening and why.
As mentioned above, if you stay calm, know your rights, and get a lawyer, you should be able to prove your innocence without too much difficulty. Not resisting arrest is one of the best things you can do when you are wrongly accused of a crime.
Stay Away From Social Media
If your case ends up going to trial, you need to avoid posting on social media. As social media is public and accessible by anyone, whatever you post on there can be used by the prosecutors. Although you might want to express your opinions on what is happening to you, you are much better off not posting anything. If you were to disclose any information about the ongoing case it can be used against you. Staying away from social media whilst you are under arrest and during the trial is the best course of action if you are wrongly accused of committing a crime.
Defend Yourself
Although many western people are fortunate enough to live somewhere where justice is for the most part upheld, wrongful arrests do happen. If you are accused of a crime you did not commit then you need to defend yourself appropriately. Getting a lawyer, keeping calm, knowing your rights, not resisting arrest, and staying away from social media are the best ways to defend yourself when you are accused of committing a crime that you did not do. Hopefully, this article has helped you understand what to do if you find yourself in this uncomfortable position.