Maybe this is covered elsewhere, but I couldn't find any relevant postings.
After reading all of ShysterJon's posts. I know I should ask to have a lawyer present before I talk to the cops.
Should I contact a criminal lawyer before I'm questioned/arrested? Will that look suspicious if I am arrested and it goes to prosecution? If I hire a lawer/firm beforehand, will someone show up at jail 2am in the morning?
If I don't hire a lawyer before being questioned/arrested by the cops, do I ask for a phonebook at the policestation? How does it work after you ask to have a lawyer present before answering any questions by the cops?
Originally Posted by Cunok
This is what I have been told.
It's always a good idea to hire a lawyer before being questioned. The lawyer will give you advise, which generally is don't talk to the police. You rarely, if ever help yourself, and you run the risk of admitting to facts or being charged with giving false information to the police.
Who cares what the cops think? They already believe you are guilty and just want you to admit it. The fact that you hired a lawyer and refused to waive your Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate yourself is not evidence of guilt and can't be used for that purpose. So get lawyered up.
Once you tell the cops you want to speak to a lawyer, the questioning is supposed to stop. You can try to contact a lawyer, but once they know that you are at a police station they will ask to speak to an officer and will want to know if you are under arrest or going to be arrested. BTW, they will want to be sure that you are speaking to them on an untaped line, for obvious reasons.
If you aren't going to be arrested then you should be allowed to leave. If you are going to be arrested, then the lawyer will tell you to still not talk and he/she will represent you during the court proceeding and will help you arrange for bail. It is rare that a lawyer shows up a police station at 2 a.m. unless it is a really, really big case. Most prostitution cases aren't really, really big cases.
So, the bottom line is don't voluntarily go to the police station without consulting a lawyer, who 99% of the time will tell you (a) don't go to the police station and (b) don't speak to the cops. Let them prove the case without your assistance.