Crawfordsville, IN asked in Criminal Law and Juvenile Law for Indiana

Q: Can I change a verbal statement without incriminating myself?

My ex got arrested for criminal recklessness and when I gave my statement at the scene I told the officer he was dating an underage girl because of gossip I had heard, and because he was fighting with said minor at the time of the incident. They are now trying to charge him with sexual misconduct with a minor because of my statement saying he was dating her at the time. If I were to go in to talk with the prosecutor to change my statement to exclude her entirely, can I be incriminated?

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
Paul Stanko
Paul Stanko
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Plymouth, IN
  • Licensed in Indiana

A: It is unlikely that the prosecutor is basing such charges on just your hearsay statements. You never should have given irrelevant statements at the scene to begin with, but that is all water under the bridge. To protect yourself, consult a criminal defense attorney to make sure you are not facing possible criminal charges yourself. DO NOT, EVER, talk to a prosecutor without speaking to defense counsel first!

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.