As any Milwaukee criminal defense attorney can tell you that silence is golden. Whether you’re innocent, guilty, or somewhere in-between, you should never talk about your case with anyone but your lawyer. You’ve probably heard it a million times – and there are some really good reasons you should keep quiet, no matter where you are or whom you’re talking to.
Why You Should Never Discuss Your Criminal Case
There are no shortage of horror stories about “loose lips sinking ships,” especially among Milwaukee criminal lawyers. Here’s one: an inmate in Central Wisconsin recently bragged to a friend about selling drugs in prison… drugs that caused the death of another inmate.
A woman in Florida made a call to her mother from jail and—you guessed it—admitted her role in a violent crime. Prosecutors used the recorded phone call against her in court.
A Texas man made a casual confession to a friend while watching sports on TV. Where is he now? Prison.
Why are we telling you all of this?
Because we can’t stress it enough: you can’t talk about your case with anyone but your criminal defense lawyer. Even if you’re completely innocent, something you say could be misconstrued and land you in hot water. Sure, your lawyer will be able to help you – but not without doing a lot of extra work (which results in a higher bill for you).
You Have the Right to Remain Silent
Whether or not law enforcement personnel read you your rights after an arrest, you always have the right to stay quiet and wait for an attorney to help you. You also have the right to remain silent when your friends or family ask you about any activities you may be or may have been involved in – and in most cases, it’s best to leave the people you care about out of these types of things anyway. You’ll avoid unnecessary drama or worse, potentially adding them to law enforcement’s list of suspects.
