Q: I am being accused of theft
I am being accused of theft in the 4th degree by an ex employer. I got a call from a detective asking me to come down to the station and have an “interview” I asked what’s the process? He then stated he first has to read my my rights and then it’ll take about 15-20 minutes. Does this mean I was going to be arrested on spot? I told the officer I can not come in and he said well can we schedule a time I said yes. I then called him back and said I am going to remain silent and consult legal counsel.
A:
If a detective is calling you to "talk" about a case, it usually means that detective is trying to build a case against you in order to make an arrest. In other words, the detective is only wanting to talk to you because s/he doesn't have enough evidence to get a warrant or to arrest you, yet. The key here is "yet".
I would recommend that you retain counsel immediately and you do not provide a statement to law enforcement without counsel present or at all depending on the specific facts of your case. Additionally, I would not talk about the case with anyone else besides your lawyer (including anyone connected to your former employer). It's not uncommon for folks in this situation to place "control calls" to get you to make admissions regarding a crime to use against you later.
Mark Simonds agrees with this answer
1 user found this answer helpful
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.
