@Jerzees, @Michael554, @Kevin29 if y’all don’t mind, we can start a “But Then What?” Thread to keep the other one on track and open. I have a question, and I feel it fits in with some of y’alls coverage questions.
So, I have heard two different things…
Option 1: don’t say anything when the cops come, and wait for your lawyer.
Option 2: tell your story.
These are only my opinion and may be flawed, but it’s only my opinion…
Option 1 gives someone that may not have seen everything to tell a story about what they saw with filled in blanks. Also, IMO, gives you possibly not a fair start. Everyone but you tells a story, and you go last.
Option 2: I believe this is the best option. It allows you to point out witnesses, evidence, etc. I would be very careful with this as to not get rubber jaw. It gives evidence a chance to tell a story before it moves, allows minimal time for witnesses to forget details, and gives you a chance to tell a story about who was the aggressor, etc.
On the other hand the saying Silence is golden may apply because you don’t necessarily want to sing like a bird either, and with all the adrenaline and whatnot, it can be hard to control that.
The membership card says to not say anything and wait for your rep… Does pointing out witnesses and evidence etc. void coverage?
While there is a view to not say anything until you speak to a lawyer, there is nothing wrong with either obtaining witness names and contact before police arrive or pointing out witnesses to police when they arrive, while not saying anything about the incident … except that you were in fear for your life and leave it at that.
Ah but how much of your story do you have to tell?
As @Kevin29 alluded too…telling them that you were the victim,…that those people over there are witnesses, that that weapon on the ground is the assailant’s weapon, telling the officers that you are willing to cooperate and press charges…but that you want to speak to your attorney before giving any kind of statement…helping the police put the scene/picture together while not giving the details until you have representation…
Heard from a former cop and she said say nothing til you get with a lawyer. Dummy up and await your mouthpiece was her exact words. Police may not be your friend at that point.
I no expert but I never seen a group of people with the same story. Myself I will need to be quiet until I could process everything in my mind. So I would give only the facts I could. I felt threatened for my life and I need my attorney.
Thanks for the replies! I meant story as in evidence whitnesses, and aggressor (s). Show those to the responding officers so the story they have to tell can be told, mostly. I’d hate for a witness to be overlooked etc. The only reason I’d point out evidence is evidence can move. A recent article I read mentioned something like if life flight showed up and blew away casings or other evidence, you’d want that evidence to be known before it flies away.
Yep, then that’s the option I’d pick @Levi2…you just have to know yourself and be disciplined to not go beyond that…especially if you’re one that tends to talk a good bit or expound on explanations.
I remember I was being deposed for a work case and had done my prep work with our company attorney and felt confident in what was about to go down…I limped out of there afterwards with black and blue ankles and shins because our attorney kept kicking me under the table because I would “over answer” a question and she would kick me once I started “explaining things” instead of answering the question (I love that lady she was great).
So for me, I already know when I’m pointing things out, I’m going to really need to bite my tongue and keep my mouth shut (they say self awareness in the first step, lol).
Other than stating when the police initially arrive that you were in fear of your life and that you want a lawyer, you should not say anything.
Pointing to witnesses does not really require speaking, but once you choose to remain silent, speaking will almost nullify it and they can use anything against you.
Yes, the police are not your friend at the point you are under arrest.
I’m the person who will go in between, so option 1.5
do not tell your story. Just tell that you defended yourself. Point the weapon used, point the attacker and witnesses
tell you are going to cooperate, but right now you would like to contact your attorney
Remember you are not victim in the eyes of LEO. They are not the Law, they are the people who don’t know anything at the moment of arrival and they are going to do everything to gather as much information as they can.
I personally advocate “24hr rule” used all my life. In stress people can say stupid things, sometimes too much, sometimes not the truth (even they think they say true). After 24 hr (sometimes even more) your mind can clear out from the stress and you see the things the way they occurred.
I would like to add one more thing. I was a plant manager with over two hundred employees. Two of them got into a actual fight. I had to fire both of them because I could not get the same story from the witnesses. I also think even though I never been in a self defense situation it would happen very fast. So I wouldn’t trust anybody. I also think people can be pressure into saying the wrong thing.
Besides in this time we living in the witnesses will run to the cop and tell them how you shot a bible toting church going man. So you want have to point them out. Just his gun.
You may not even be under arrest but any statement you make will be written down. Other than saying you were in fear for your life shut your mouth. She also said to request EMS for yourself for two reasons. 1. You have just been thru a really bad incident. You want to be checked out because you may be in need of medical and 2. it gets you away from the cops and the scene. It gives you time to take a breath and try to collect your thoughts. A cop may ride in the Ambulance with you so be quiet.
Also, feel free to post y’all’s questions. I tried to give this thread a general title to umbrella a lot of options. That way it’s not specific and can’t stray off topic easily lol
Give them only the necessary information. You are the victims. If any assailants ran off and might still be in the area. Point out witnesses. Ask for medical attention for yourself (stress can kill you). After that, “Officer, I will comply with any instructions you give me, and I would like to enact my right to a lawyer.” Then, I wouldn’t say another word.
I say keep it simple, follow the instructions on the back of your membership card. You could not fail with this. I would try to be as calm as I can be. You can tell LEO that you were attacked and feared for your life. And yes point out the witnesses at the scene. Get treatment for the offender. All this is being done while you are under stress. Follow this and you have a good chance of a good case in your favor.
Even more… For better understanding the last sentence in the card should say:
“Shut your mouth”.
Sometimes people think that talking after incident makes them look innocent… No, hell no… Shut up and leave (as @Kenneth94 mentioned).
