Some of the Things the Police Will Tell You When You Are Arrested in St. Louis, MO

If you have some sort of interaction with a police officer (whether it was during a common traffic stop, or if you were questioned about your knowledge of a crime, or by way of an arrest), he or she will likely not be very helpful in providing you with a description of your Constitutional rights (assuming that the officer is knowledgeable of those rights in the first place). Indeed, many St. Louis criminal defense attorneys will end up making the argument (in court) that the officer violated the defendant’s rights in some way.

A lot of people are shocked to learn that police officers violate the Constitutional rights of citizens each and every day. And even after learning about the facts of the case, these folks still do not (or will not) believe that such things happen in our society. It is interesting, however, when those very same people are arrested themselves (and cry foul from the top of their lungs about the way in which the police officer mishandled their case). But if you are someone who has been arrested (and have a pending charge awaiting disposition), then it is in your best interest to learn about your rights.

So what are some of the things that a police officer will tell you when you are arrested? I have a few personal favorites, but let’s look at a specific example:

1. If you have been arrested, the officer is supposed to make you aware of your Miranda rights (for example, you have the right to remain silent). A lot of times, the officer will not read this list of rights. Rather, he or she will provide you with a sheet of paper that enumerates each one. The officer will hand this sheet to you, tell you to read each one, initial after each sentence, and then to sign and date at the bottom of the page. That is literally all the instruction the officer will provide. In other words, the officer WILL NOT make it clear that you are being given your Miranda rights, that by initialing next to each line you are signaling that you understand that right, or that by signing at the bottom you are waiving those rights. You read that last part correctly! Most Miranda warnings that are provided by way of a sheet of paper make it clear (towards the bottom of the page, just before the line for your signature) that by signing the document, “you hereby acknowledge you have read the foregoing, and by signing this document I waive those rights described above.” And of course, as soon you sign your name on the line, your rights have been waived. What does that ultimately mean? In a nutshell, any information you provide to the police thereafter can and will be used against you.

This is but one of many examples in which a police officer will tell you things that are misleading, misrepresentative, or simply untrue. Why do police officers do this? Because they want to make sure they can make any charge against you stick (and if the prosecutor has enough facts on his side, then it makes it much easier for him to get a conviction).

The affordable St. Louis criminal defense attorneys at The Bankruptcy Company, have been helping people with their misdemeanor charges for over ten (10) years. Our goal is to make sure that the charges leveled against you do not stay on your permanent record, and do any lasting damage. And we want to do all of this at an affordable price. The fees for a typical misdemeanor case start at $450. But the initial consultation to discuss your legal issues is free of charge. So contact us today!!

We have two main locations: in the Central West End of St. Louis, at 1 North Taylor (on the corner of Taylor and Laclede), 63108; and in the Twin Cities of Festus / Crystal City, at 1000 Truman Blvd (Highway 61/67), 63019. The initial consultation is free of charge. So contact us today to learn more!!