When you are charged with a crime or criminal offense, it is easy to become confused and make mistakes. The first thing you should do is hire a criminal defense attorney to represent you in court. Here are three mistakes that defendants make that can hurt their criminal defense.

Talking to the Police

Many times the police will tell you that you might as well come clean and that telling them the whole truth will make it easier on you in the long run. While it might seem like a good idea to talk with the police in hopes that it will help your case, in reality it likely will only make the situation worse and could cause your immediate arrest. You should never talk to the police without a criminal defense attorney present. It is usually best to plead the Fifth Amendment if the police try to force you into talking. You should ask the officer if you are under arrest or if you are free to leave. If you are under arrest, you should advise the police officer that you do not wish to talk with him or her and that you want to talk with your attorney. You should be read your Miranda rights if you are under arrest.

Talking to Others

One of the most common mistakes a defendant can make is talking to other people, including jail-mates about their case. The only person you should discuss your case with is the attorney that you hired to represent you in court. It is very possible that talking about your case can come back to haunt you at the trial or plea negotiation stages.

Using Social Media and Cell Phones

There have been many times that posting on social media about a case has sealed that case in a court of law. Many times, the prosecutor can win a case by pulling records off computers and cell phones.

These are just three mistakes that defendant’s tend to make when they have been charged with a criminal offense. Avoid them and concentrate on building a solid criminal defense with your attorney instead.