You’ve been accused of a crime, and now, you’ve been taken into custody in San Antonio. So now, you want to know what your rights are. If the police do their job, they’ll tell you. You’ll want to speak with our criminal defense attorney San Antonio Texas right away.
What is Custodial Interrogation?
Custodial interrogation occurs when you’ve been detained by police, and you’re not free to leave. You might not even have been formally arrested or handcuffed, but you’ve been deprived of your liberty. While you’re in custody, police will ask you questions about a crime that has been committed. They will try to manipulate you or even lie to you to obtain a confession. It’s almost always perfectly legal. Here are the rights that you have during custodial interrogation:
- The Right to Remain Silent: If you’re in a custodial interrogation situation, you have the right to remain silent. You have the right to refuse to answer any and all questions. You exercise that right by clearly stating that you’re refusing to answer any questions that might be asked of you. Don’t believe any promises that police might make to you. They’re generally not enforceable.
- The Right to a Competent and Independent Attorney of Your Own Choice: Note that if you cannot afford to hire your own attorney, one must be provided for you. To hire your own attorney, you can contact the criminal attorney San Antonio Texas at the Law Office of Reynaldo P. Morin PLLC.
- The Right to be Informed of the Above Rights: Police must make certain that the person being interrogated understands them. That must be done in a language that is known and understood by the person being interrogated.
All of these rights are commonly known as Miranda rights. They can be waived, and a person can freely and voluntarily give a statement or confession. You should preserve and protect your rights though. Police might not even have a case without a confession. Don’t let custodial interrogation begin without criminal lawyer San Antonio Texas Reynaldo P. Morin, PLLC.