If you tell the police you want a lawyer, the law says that all questioning must cease. A lawyer can get in between you and an investigation, help you decide whether to give a statement, and help arrange a surrender, bond, and bail.
For murder charges, Greg McCollum recommends reaching out to experienced lawyers with felony trial experience, and encourages asking how many murder cases they have handled and tried.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will happen if I tell the police I want a lawyer?
If you tell the police you want a lawyer, then the law says that all questioning must cease. It’s much stronger than even saying that you don’t want to make a statement. With the police, and the authority, and all of the things that go into that, it’s very difficult for the person being questioned by the police not to answer questions.
Now, for the police, if you ask for a lawyer, the law is that all questions must cease, and they must cease immediately. It’s the strongest thing you can say to protect yourself: “I want a lawyer.” Then the police cannot question you anymore. Many times when people say this, the police get mad, they get frustrated, they leave the room.
It doesn’t matter if their feelings are hurt, what’s important is that you protect your rights. If you ask for a lawyer, that’s the most important thing you can say to keep from being questioned.
If I am being investigated what can a lawyer do?
The main thing a lawyer can do is get in between you and the investigation. The lawyer can talk to you: find out if you’ve done anything wrong, find out if you should give a statement, find out if you should cooperate, or find out if you should just invoke your rights and not give a statement.
The lawyer also can determine if you’re going to be arrested. Sometimes when people are investigated, they’re not arrested. Sometimes they are.
The lawyer can find out if a warrant is going to be issued. A lawyer can arrange a surrender, pre-arrange bond and bail, and do a lot to help you get through the investigation. The other thing the lawyer can do is keep you from being questioned, keep you from having to make those decisions yourself, keep you from having face-to-face contact with the police and the people who would like to question and interrogate you.
A lawyer can help you decide whether or not you want to submit to some type of test or some type of analysis of something and those procedures. So, a lawyer can do a lot to help you in that situation, and it could change the entire case that may or may not be made against you.
Who are the best lawyers to defend me on murder charges?
The best lawyers to defend you on murder charges are lawyers who have experience doing that. You want somebody who has been in court, who is experienced, who has a certain level of felony trial experience. It’s also helpful to have someone that you relate to and who you can tell your story to, tell them what’s going on in your life, and have someone who cares about you and genuinely wants to help you.
Obviously, it’s a very important decision to make. It’s something which most people are going to take as seriously as they can. It can be a little bit daunting at times. You can research people online a lot more now than in the past, you can see what their record is, and don’t be shy about asking them! Don’t be shy about asking:
How many murder cases have you handled? How many murder cases have you tried? What’s your track record look like? Can you help me? Do you feel comfortable helping me?
Facing police questioning, an investigation, or a murder charge in South Carolina is serious. Greg McCollum is a former prosecutor with 30 years of experience. Speaking with a lawyer early may help you protect your rights.
If you have questions about police questioning, criminal investigations, or murder charges, call the Greg McCollum Complete Legal Defense Team at (843) 626-5480. Consultations are confidential.