Watching the news one evening, a sketched picture of a suspect sits front and center on your television screen. You smirk because the sketched suspect was drawn with some similarities to yourself. As you continue to watch the news, the doorbell rings. The local authorities are at your door to ask you a few questions. To your surprise, you have just been told that you are accused of a crime. Here are the first 3 steps you should take when you are wrongly accused.
Stay Calm
One of the first steps to take when being wrongly accused is to stay calm. Stay calm and assess the situation so you can realize the seriousness of the accusation. The last thing you would want is to panic and make it appear as if you are guilty of the crime. Listen to what the authorities have to say, and avoid getting angry.
Questions and Answers
Now that you have successfully remained calm, you are likely to be bombarded with questions from the investigator or local authorities. You are now perhaps feeling the urgency to answer these questions, thinking that the accusations will just go away by answering all their questions now. However, answering questions without a criminal defense attorney present can actually make your situation worse. So, avoid further conversation with the authorities until you retain an attorney.
Collect and Organize
The next step you should take is to collect and organize evidence that will help you with your situation. Collecting physical evidence consists of financial records, GPS records, computer records, videos, photos, call logs, clothing, and other objects. It also involves creating a list of potential witnesses that can attest to your location or provide helpful information during the time the crime was happening.
Once you have collected evidence, organizing every piece of evidence no matter how minuscule or irrelevant it may seem, will be vital to your defense. Consider neatly organizing your evidence in chronological order. This is to support transparency because transparency speaks volumes when it comes to an effective and efficient defense strategy against being wrongly accused of a crime.
The Takeaway
These are only to mention the first 3 steps you should take when you are wrongly accused. Remember, stay calm and avoid getting angry. Avoid answering questions and further conversations with local authorities without an attorney present. Collect and organize evidence in chronological order and submit them to your defense attorney so they can effectively defend you in court.
Author Bio: Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer based out of Boston, MA. She writes most often on health and education. When not writing, she enjoys reading and watching film noir. Say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2
