Q: Am I obligated by law to attend an 'additional' meeting after a park ranger has already detained me and let me go
Hello, a park ranger had detained me for metal detecting in a national park. He never read me my Miranda rights and forgot to make me sign one of the citations he gave me, but made me sign the other. He let me go, and 2 weeks later, he calls me and asks to meet with me in person to get more details about certain things. Am I obligated by law to meet up with him a second time? It just doesn't seem normal that a park ranger would call and ask someone they already let go to meet with them again. What would happen if I refuse to meet up with him?
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A: You never are obligated to discuss matters with government officials where there is a risk of criminal sanction for you. Even if you are arrested for this offense, you do not have to talk, or should you choose talk, you may elect to do so only with a lawyer present, and terminate any conversation at any time. If charges are brought against you you should seek counsel.
A: If you are concerned, and you should be, retain a lawyer to call the park ranger and ask why he wants to speak with you further. No, you do not need to talk to him or any officer, and you should not, simply because he is probably looking into other possible charges and wrongdoing, or gathering more admissions from you to use against you on the charges already cited. If he has further charges to serve on you, he can say so.
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