When people get involved in a criminal case for the first time in their lives, they tend to make mistakes that undermine what their criminal defense team is trying to do. Being arrested on criminal charges is a very serious event that requires your full cooperation with your defense team. As your team puts together what it needs to hopefully clear your name, there are actions you can take that will mess up that defense and possibly cost you your freedom.
Your criminal defense attorney may have already told you to stay off social media, and that is not a request. As your case is made public, it is open to scrutiny from everyone who has a social media account. You will find, if you go on social media, that there are people who will have contrasting point of views when it comes to your guilt or innocence.
Your criminal case will be presented in a court of law by a professional attorney. You should never try to address people on social media by answering questions, or by allowing yourself to get drawn into a debate about your case. You should know that the prosecutors are monitoring your actions on social media and anything you post could be held against you.
If your case has any interest at all to the news media in your area, then you will get phone calls and personal visits from reporters looking for the latest information. If the regular media tries to contact you about your case, refer them to your attorney. You should never try to explain yourself or discuss any details of your case in the media.
Reporters have a habit of trying to get people to say things that can have several different meanings. Once you get into a discussion with a reporter who is trying to trip you up, you are engaged in a battle you cannot win. That is why you should refer all media inquiries to your attorney and remain silent to the media in general.
If your defense team is trying to get you acquitted on your charges and you admit your guilt to your sister and your family's Sunday meal, then the prosecution could bring your sister in to testify and derail your entire defense. She would not mean to speak out against you, but you gave her no choice.
The family members who care about you will understand why you cannot talk about your case. If they do not understand, then tell them that you could get them involved in the case if you talk to them about it. The only people you should be discussing your case with are your attorneys, and they should be the only people you give new information to as well.
People involved in criminal proceedings do not understand just how far the long arm of the law reaches. When you are involved in a criminal case, you need to stay off social media and only discuss the case with your attorneys. The smarter you are about keeping the details of your case out of the public's reach, the more your attorneys can do in preparing your defense.
