Friday, May 09, 2008

Stop What You're Doing...

...click on the title link, and watch this video.

And do not talk to the police.

Tell a friend.

[Via AvgJoe]
Posted by David Codrea at 5/09/2008 09:21:00 AM

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The video seems to have been removed.

5/09/2008 11:50 AM
Anonymous said...

It's on youtube, or was. It's an excellent guide.

5/09/2008 11:53 AM
Anonymous said...

I'm watching it as I type this at 9AM PDST 9May08.

And THANK YOU, David, for finding this - Ghu only knows how many clients I've had who insist on talking to the police. I try and try and try to tell them "Mr. Policeman is not your friend, do not talk to him," combined with the harder-to-swallow "it's better to spend one night in jail than the rest of your life."

Ah well, off to my email list this goes, hopefully the spread will continue.

5/09/2008 12:06 PM
Anonymous said...

i couldn't find it.

5/09/2008 12:28 PM
David Codrea said...

It just now worked for me--twice--suggest you try again later. It is well worth multiple attempts. Otherwise, search for "Talking to the Police" by Prof. James Duane and see if you can find alternative links.

5/09/2008 12:36 PM
Anonymous said...

I watched the whole thing. It's extraordinary.

And the police officer who followed Prof. Duane was just as enlightening. He admitted that he is allowed to, nay, even expected to lie, deceive, mislead, and misdirect in his "interviews."

Interesting that they don't call them "interrogations" anymore.

5/09/2008 12:50 PM
Alan said...

It's on iTunes too at:

http://deimos.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/regent.edu.1531303458.01531303460

5/09/2008 12:58 PM
Anonymous said...

A serious subject addressed with style and humor. A++
When I was young, I was so shy people didn't know whether I COULD talk. I can overcome my desire to be nice and helpful and have a relapse. It's obvious from this video and other evidence that the police and courts don't NEED help. They have all the cards, they deal them. Heck, they PRINT them...
There's the classic example of some mafia types who were seen near a witness AT A PARADE. There was a scuffle, a shot was fired, the witness died, a gun was found. Tape on the gun prevented fingerprinting. The suspects were so tight-lipped it was never determined whether any of them even UNDERSTOOD English. No one was prosecuted.

5/09/2008 9:44 PM
Anonymous said...

somebody should clue me in on how to view this as I can't get anything but a blue background and an ad for Itunes.

5/09/2008 10:26 PM
DJMooreTX said...

Tech note: I watched via Firefox 3.0b5 on Ubuntu 8.04, but I had to work for it, first downloading and installing the appropriate codecs, then using VLC to open the "network stream". Linux partisans, take note: stuff like this has to happen automatically and smoothly, or you will never defeat Redmond.

== == ==

The video is great, and a must see. I appreciated both the lawyer (who looks like Eric Idle and talks like an auctioneer) and the cop. They both reinforce the command: Do not talk to the police. Ever.

However, check out this comment from Martial Talk, listing Massad Ayoob's advice on what to say when reporting a self defense incident:
==
When the cops arrive tell them the dynamics of the situation.
That is:
a. you are the victim
b. the ones on the ground (hopefully) are the suspects
c. point out any evidence (like clubs, knives, guns, etc.. before someone in the crowed walks off with them.) Same goes for any other evidence.
d. point out any bruise, cuts, tears, etc.. done to you or others.
e. tell the cops you will co-operate 100 percent, totally, but.... you are upset and would like to talk to your lawyer first!
Then shut up! If they try to ask even small-talk questions, be firm, be polite, but tell them you still want to talk to a lawyer first.
==
[Minor spelling and grammar corrections.]

Placing this in a self-defense context is very troubling, because I have often seen advice to the effect that if you ever even display your weapon, you must be the one who reports the incident first. Ayoob's advice still applies, I think, if you can keep from adding any details whatsoever. "That guy forced me to act in self defense. He cut me here. You can see the knife there. No, I'm sorry, I can come in and make a full statement tomorrow, but that's all for now."

== == ==

Best bit from Prof. Duane: showing how hard it is to remember exactly what you heard. I listened twice, and still got it wrong in a way I completely didn't expect, but should have; it's a common trick you see in cop shows.

Best bit from Officer George Bruch: if he follows you in your car long enough, you will eventually do something he can legitimately pull you over and ticket you for. The next time I'm followed, I'm pulling into the nearest store parking lot as soon as I can.

One more piece of IANAL advice: never consent to a search. Don't resist, be respectful, but do not consent. You have no idea what the cops are looking for, or how they will interpret what they find. Most important, whatever errors the police may have made in stopping you, or in the warrant, or in the subsequent search are irrelevant if you consent.

5/10/2008 12:58 AM
Anonymous said...

I finally saw it and heard it. Absolutely great advice. I noticed how Det. Bruch avoided saying cops would lie in court, but I didn't believe all that honest mistake crap he or Duane tried to sell.

I must be an instinctive criminal if not an actual one.

One of only two times I ever remember my father being proud of me was when at the age of 12 I was taken home by a cop who suspected me of something.

My father happened to be visiting at the time and the cop told him,"There is no doubt this boy will go to the juvenile delinquency center, he's just too tough to be that young, he wouldn't even tell us the color of his eyes. Hell, we still wouldn't know who he was if his friend hadn't babbled his damn head off."

I wasn't guilty, by the way, and I never went to the JD, but I knew these sonsofbitches weren't my friends. I wasn't charged with anything either.

The funny part is the cop should have known who I was because 2 years earlier I hit him as hard as I could as high as a small ten year old could reach (uh huh, just where you thought) and put him on his knees when he tried to force my great grandmother into the street because she was supposed to walk around a white man. Way back before being American Indian was cool.

I later made HIM walk around ME after he shot my sister's dog in front of her. I was some bigger by then, but not much. Evidently it was enough for the big giant sonofabitch to rethink who he was going to push.

Nobody counts coup on me or mine.

5/10/2008 2:33 AM
Stephen said...

This goes for any law enforcement, not only the local cops. Up to and including Congress. There is simply no reason to talk.

5/10/2008 11:08 AM

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