6 January, 2020
According to research, over five percent of all prisoners in the United States are innocent. Judges know that it’s better to have a criminal released than to punish an innocent and still a disturbingly huge number of people are serving in jail and many have been sentenced to death. Another study estimated that every year around ten thousand people are convicted of a crime they didn’t commit. This shows that if you don’t defend yourself the right way, you may have to pay for someone else’s sin.
If five percent of innocents are in jail, the number of accused is definitely a lot bigger than that. One can face a difficult turn in life at any time. Many of us might have already faced such issues in life even if they weren’t serious enough to get to court. Everyone should know how to defend himself/herself if they are being accused of a crime they didn’t commit. You might also make mistakes at such times which can make things worse for you. We must know what do to if we ever find ourselves in such a situation.
Control Your Anger
One can’t help but get angry when someone hurts his respect and place in society. But anger only drains energy and makes you do stupid things. It’s important that you mustn’t lose your mind and keep calm. Try to understand the situation you are caught in and look for the reason behind it. You might also face criticism from your friends and family and people might start to judge, which will be difficult for you. However, you have to keep silence. Don’t explain yourself nor blame anyone else. You should specifically avoid putting your anger out through social media. Everything you publish on social media like Facebook or Twitter becomes part of a record. You might say somethings in anger that can be later used against you to prove you guilty. This will be your first and most difficult fight because as you have to battle yourself here.
Don’t Confront the Accuser
Some people think that getting face to face with the other party might solve their issue. This is just not how it works. If the person could change his mind that quickly, he wouldn’t press charges. Besides, what can you say that will make them change their mind? If you threaten them, you will most certainly be going to jail for that if nothing else. If the accuser put it up in the court, it will give the impression that you went to scare him to back off from the case. So make sure this doesn’t happen even by mistake.
Meet a Trusted Lawyer
You will need a lawyer who can represent you in the court and in front of the police. The lawyer must be experienced and trusted as anything he says will be considered your word. Thinking that you don’t need a lawyer because you are innocent may land you in prison with other five percent innocent prisoners. Court trials can be very difficult. According to a Moorhead Criminal Attorney at Ringstrom Law, prosecutors mentally challenge you to the extent of madness. You will see opposition criticizing every little thing about you.
They will do their best to make you angry or say something you don’t mean. For examples, a mother would be seriously offended if you say she abuses her children. A lawyer will guide you all about what’s to come and how you can save yourself. He will tell which questions to answer and how to answer. They have spent years in courts and understand how the judiciary system works.
Avoid Arguing with the Police
Make sure you don’t argue with the police about anything. Your words can have serious consequences when spoken to police. Don’t criticize them in any way even if you know they are framing you. If you believe they have done something illegal, you can file a motion in the court. It will be difficult for the court to see you as innocent if you took the matter in your hand.
Resisting Arrest is Not a Good Idea
Some people run away, and some go into hiding to avoid being arrested. That may be a good trick for gangsters but not for you. You don’t want to be seen as a fugitive. When they are arresting you, you shouldn’t resist. They must know what they are doing if it has come to this. There is a possibility that they have strong evidence and are legally obliged to take you into custody. It is always discussed in the court if you resisted the arrested. Remember that law is there to ensure the police doesn’t exploit its authority. If you have been arrested without proper procedure. They will be held accountable in the court.
Don’t Answer Questions
You will be asked questions by the police, prosecutor, and the accusers. Some people even use the tone of the discussion to get a statement out of you. You are protected by the law if you don’t want to answer questions. The police or the prosecutor might trick you to say something that can weaken your case. This is something you definitely want to avoid. Because it won’t be easy to counter your own words in the court.
You have the right to a lawyer. According to the Fifth Amendment, you don’t have to answer anything if you don’t want. However, the case can go against you if you don’t defend yourself. That’s why you should call a lawyer before you proceed to answering questions. Your lawyer will prepare you for the investigation and the court. The investigation can particularly be intimidating where you are likely to make mistakes if you go unprepared.
Find Out the Reasons behind Accusation
Before solving any problem, you should look for the reasons behind it. You would know better than your lawyer what caused the accuser to file charges against you. It will become a good defense when you have valid reasons behind the actions of the accuser. You will have to find evidence to support your claim and then present it in the court.
Revenge is one of the most common reasons people file false charges. If there is anything that you might have done to the accuser to angry him, it could be a reason enough. It’s also common for former spouses and partners to blame each other. Some people even accuse others when they are ashamed of something. You should also make sure that it isn’t a case of misidentification. The accuser might have taken you for someone else who looks like you or was at the same place where you were.
Prepare for the Court
Court trials are brutal. You see people pouring the hatred in their hearts out in front of the judge. There personal attacks and
statements that would deeply hurt other’s feelings. The lawyer of the opposition is also a professional who knows how to trick someone to say something for which he has a complete plan prepared. They exploit your own words and say anything to prove you guilty.
Your lawyer will first prepare you for everything that is to come in the court. You both will talk and write all possible attacks that the opposition might have prepared. The first thing you two will figure out is how they can prove that you are the one who committed that crime. Once you understand their most powerful attacks, only then will you be able to defend.
You May Have to Agree to Some Extent
If a person says you committed a crime, he must have a good reason. For example, you might have visited the house of the accuser even if you didn’t commit a crime. The accuser can say that you came to his/her house and did something behind closed doors. You may have threatened the accuser at some point and now you have to prove that you didn’t put it to action. So you will have to agree with the accuser to some extent. Make sure you don’t lie if it was true. If they say you were at a party, and you were at the party, you should admit it. That said, you should also stay strong on your defense that you didn’t commit the crime you are accused of.
Prepare Strong Questions
You will be asked questions in the court, but the same applies to the accuser. Your lawyer will also ask difficult questions to get the truth out. The power of your questions determines if you will be proven innocent or not. Your lawyer will need your point of view to come up with good defense and attack. Make sure you brainstorm and think of all points that can put the opposition at sensitive points. You should share the entire story and all of your points with the lawyer and discuss if they can be useful. Remember that lawyer, no matter how good, needs your help to create a strong defense.
I'm Harry Wilson, a senior digital marketing consultant at Globex Outreach. Writing is my part-time hobby because I get to share my experience with the world. Professionally, I help map out a flawless digital marketing plan for the clients at my firm.