Wrongful Arrest

Police are often under great pressure to catch criminal suspects, particularly for high-profile crimes. Sometimes they may make arrests without much evidence or justification. An innocent bystander who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time may suddenly find himself or herself being arrested and charged for a crime that s/he did not commit. Getting arrested for something that you did not do is a terrible injustice, but unfortunately it does happen more frequently than we would like to admit.

If You Are Arrested

Many people who are arrested try to put up a great fight against police officers and may even try to run away when they are stopped. If you are approached by police officers because they suspect that you were involved with a crime, the worst thing that you can do is try to run or fight back. Even though you know you are innocent, the police believe otherwise and there is nothing that you can do at this point to convince them otherwise. Rather than trying to resist arrest, it is better to go quietly and speak to a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.

How to Respond

If you are arrested for a crime that you did not commit, you are likely feeling shock, frustration, anger, confusion, and even rage. A wrongful arrest is a horrible mistake, but by yelling or resisting you may end up hurting your own case. Violence during arrest could be interpreted as evidence of your guilt and used against you later in court. If wrongfully arrested, be sure to do the following:

Stay calm. Rather than lashing out at the police, try to remain calm so that you do not end up hurting your own case for your innocence.

Remain silent. You have the right to remain silent, meaning that you do not have to reveal any information to the police or answer to an interrogation. Avoid saying anything that could be twisted and used as evidence of guilt.

Contact a criminal attorney. Before speaking to anyone else about your mistaken arrest, even friends and family, contact a criminal defense lawyer to assist you with your case. He or she will instruct you on how to best maintain your innocence and will fight to protect your rights under the law.

While you may feel that you are trapped in a mistaken situation, a criminal attorney can help you fight the charges that were wrongfully brought against you. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and your criminal lawyer will scrutinize all evidence and testimony brought against you to look for errors and weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. As experienced criminal defense attorneys, we understand that getting wrongfully arrested can be a terrifying experience for you and your family. We are prepared to fight for your innocence and protect you against an unjust criminal conviction.

For More Information

To learn more about defending against a wrongful arrest and criminal charges, please visit the website of the West Palm Beach criminal lawyers of Eric N. Klein & Associates, P.A. today.