Why You Should Never Talk to the Police

[jrandom]

Hey, I pretty soon figure out the difference between the two catagories you are talking about.

Y'reckon?

That's what I'm talking about - you think you can tell the difference.



Now, maybe you're not so bad at it, maybe you are, I dunno, but generally, that particular arrogance on the part of your average police officer tends to spill over to situations where the guilt or innocence of the party really is questionable.

Some judges are soft and have their heads in the clouds (recent case of the drunk driver escaping jail being a good example) but, on the whole, thank goodness for the courts and for the judgement of men who have a bit more day-to-day detachment than your average copper, I say.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I guess sitting around with a few bush-lawyer mates toking up and boozing clarifies the memory....

Well, yeah.

Just because I am pedantic, there are circumstances here where you are required to answer in spite of the fact that may compromise your right to silence: from memory its SFO investigations, tax department (of course) and Customs.

Interestingly the most "powerful" govt department by far (in terms of potential "interference" in your life and uh, livelihood is the Customs, followed by the IRD, Pleece a distant third.

In the Uk the warning is something like "if you say something now which differs from something you subsequently say in court then that may be used in evidence agin ya" something like that.

But the best advice is always "say nothing: get lawyered up"

Of course those of us like Ronnie Biggs who lead innocent blameless lives have nothing to worry about...................

[HenryDorsetCase]

Some judges are soft and have their heads in the clouds (recent case of the drunk driver escaping jail being a good example) but, on the whole, thank goodness for the courts and for the judgement of men who have a bit more day-to-day detachment than your average copper, I say.

that statement does a huge disservice to the Pleece and the courts.

[scumdog]

but, on the whole, thank goodness for the courts and for the judgement of men who have a bit more day-to-day detachment than your average copper, I say.

Yeah, the lack of regular contact with court attendees sure must help them sift out the shit eh....

BTW: Silence to the cops - who suffers?

Not the cops that's for sure.

The suffferers are the victims, - of assault, of theft, of sexual abuse, of domestic violence ad nausuem....

[jrandom]

that statement does a huge disservice to the Pleece and the courts.

How so?

I'm not criticising the Pleece, as such. Losing detachment is an unavoidable hazard of the job, and it's not as though we could make do without them, is it?

It's just an unavoidable truth that if they're asking you questions about something, they'll never have your best interests at heart. S'way it works innit.

[CookMySock]

I would have thought there'd be a fairly material difference between that, and simply and politely saying "I'm really not prepared to make any comment at this stage. I'd like to discuss this situation with my lawyer."

Nah thats just doublespeak for the same thing.

Shitheads are shitheads. Nobody's arguing that they shouldn't be locked up. This thread's for the benefit of well-intentioned folk who find themselves in entirely unjust hot water.

We (inadvertantly?) excuse ourselves from their company based on our own judgement though.. not to be done lightly, or at least with some rationale based in logic.

My line of thinking is - I'm going to go do what I want. Its a process of discovery to see what I can get away with. If I interfere with your rights in this process you should not think it was intentional, and you should immeditely inform me of my ignorance - loudly if you feel it necessary - I expect it. Certainly in your process of discovering the same, I would expect to be heard also. THIS is where the legal process is welcome - resolving what is actually do-able or not, and this is where it should be honored IMO. If you fuck up and maim someone then you dun rong, and the reverse applies also and then we get due diligence from the law. Obviously, thinking people will not go this far and enjoy themselves at their OWN risk, not others.


DB

[jrandom]

The suffferers are the victims, - of assault, of theft, of sexual abuse, of domestic violence ad nausuem....

Poor, poor victims.

Sorry, man, I knew a 'victim' of 'domestic violence and sexual abuse'.

I was her so-called 'abuser'.

It opened my eyes to the bullshit which can be fed to the cops, and the way they happily lap it up.

[jrandom]

Nah thats just doublespeak for the same thing.

Well, if you distil it down, of course. But I'm saying that it's possible to make no comment without coming across as a shithead.

[scumdog]

Poor, poor victims.

Sorry, man, I knew a 'victim' of 'domestic violence and sexual abuse'.

I was her so-called 'abuser'.

It opened my eyes to the bullshit which can be fed to the cops, and the way they happily lap it up.

So staying silent WOULD have helped you eh??

[jrandom]

So staying silent helped you eh??

Nope. Opening my mouth and trying to be helpful, on the mistaken assumption that an unfounded accusation would be treated as it deserved to be, caused tremendous difficulties for me.

My life would have been far, far easier if I had stayed silent.

Edit: I see you got the same idea vis-a-vis editing your post.

[kiwifruit]

Love is in the air, in every sight and every sound

[scumdog]

Nope. Opening my mouth and trying to be helpful, on the mistaken assumption that an unfounded accusation would be treated as it deserved to be, caused tremendous difficulties for me.

My life would have been far, far easier if I had stayed silent.

Edit: I see you got the same idea vis-a-vis editing your post.

You are 'collateral damage'

Kinda a result of the focus on victims, the majority who ARE victims - however a few psuedo-victims slip through, possibly as in your case?

EDIT: And your silence in this case would very likely not have affected the outcome, it may have made it worse...

These psuedo-victims often make it harder for the REAL ones and waste a shitload of Police time and resources.

(of course an astute judge would have picked that in your case??)

[Fatjim]

Love is in the air, in every sight and every sound

And I don't why I'm feeling foolish...

[jrandom]

You are 'collateral damage'

Now I know how all those bombed-out Afghani wedding parties feel.

These psuedo-victims often make it harder for the REAL ones and waste a shitload of Police time and resources.

I bet. Of course, they're a good argument for Police taking a non-judgemental approach to the gathering of evidence and carefully weighing up of the worth of prosecutions rather than charging into court with unfounded allegations, aren't they?

(of course an astute judge would have picked that in your case??)

I never had any doubt of that.

Fortunately, I managed to reason the 'victim' into not proceeding with the complaint (in spite of pressure from the Police to do so).

I sweated a fair bit of blood in the process, though, and she still likes to threaten me with the idea of re-laying the complaint when she's in a difficult mood.

[Fatjim]

You need a tape recorder.