It is hard to know what to do with yourself when accused of a crime. Whether you have committed the crime or not, you are likely to be shocked and extremely upset. This is normal and to be expected, but it is also important that you know what steps to take so that you can seek the best outcome and avoid making the situation worse for yourself. It is often something that people never expect, so most people do not know what to do in this situation. Here are a few of the main steps that you should take if ever accused of a crime.
Be Cooperative But Remain Silent
First, you need to make sure that you cooperate with law enforcement. You should never flee the scene or get into a confrontation with the police or your accuser, but it is also smart to exercise your right to remain silent. People often panic in this situation and end up saying something that they later contradict, which could make it a lot harder to achieve a positive outcome.
Hire A Criminal Defense Attorney
You should then hire a criminal defense attorney as soon as you can. It is important to have legal representation that specializes in criminal defense, even if you have not done anything wrong. They will be able to protect your rights, help you through the stages, and fight on your behalf to seek the best outcome. An expert in criminal defense, like Edwards Law, PLLC, will have a high level of knowledge in the court system and will be able to use their expertise to advise you on the best outcome, whether this is seeking a not-guilty verdict or reducing the charges. They will also be able to help lower your stress and anxiety levels as you know that a specialist is representing you.
Collect Evidence
It would help if you also took action to collect any evidence that could support your defense, including the contact information of any witnesses. Crucially, you should never destroy any evidence that does not work in your favor. This is known as evidence tampering, and it is a separate crime, so this could make the situation much worse if you are caught.
Do Not Talk About The Case Publicly
It is also important that you do not talk about the case publicly. You should act as if everything that you say during this time is recorded, as anything that you say could be used against you. This also means that you should never post anything related to the case on social media.
Do Not Contact Your Accuser
Another mistake that people make in this situation is contacting the accuser. People often try to explain themselves or get the accuser to drop the case, but contact could lead to many issues and even new allegations, such as harassment.
It is hard to know what to do yourself when you are accused of a crime. Although your head will be swimming, it is important that you try to remain calm and follow the above advice.