San Diego Criminal Lawyers Blog
The following post is a continuation of a series on what to expect following a felony arrest in California. In the first post, the pre-investigation step was discussed and can be accessed here. What follows is a discussion about the arrest phase.
Exercise Your Right to Remain Silent
Do not talk to the police during a pre-arrest investigation without the presence of an attorney. The police are collecting information to assist their investigation. Any information gathered and collected by them will ultimately be used to support their arrest of you. Be courteous to law enforcement officials but remain firm – exercise your right to counsel and your right to remain silent.
The Arrest
The arresting police officer must have probable cause or a reasonable ground to arrest you absent an arrest warrant. Most people have a general understanding of an arrest because of exposure to arrests in movies or television shows. When the arrest is complete, you are physically restrained and become a criminal defendant.
Know Your Rights: Miranda Warnings
Miranda warnings are another part of the arrest process people are familiar with and closely associate with the commencement of a criminal case. The Miranda warning advises an arrested person of his or her right in criminal proceedings before being interrogated. Failure to properly administer Miranda warnings affects the admissibility of statements made to law enforcement officials after arrest. On television, Miranda warnings are often administered simultaneous to arrest, but in reality, the requirement is that they get administered before any questioning starts by the police. The order is not important – focus on requesting your right to an attorney and remain silent.
Know Your Rights: Ask to Speak with Counsel and Remain Silent
Ask for an attorney prior to the commencement of the police questioning or interrogation. Then, invoke your right to remain silent. When you request a lawyer’s assistance, all questioning by police should stop. Anything you get asked and answer after invoking your right to counsel may be excluded from evidence later in the criminal proceedings. The police can still question you. Always remain silent while in police custody. Limit all conversations with other police officers, jail cell or holding inmates, or other personnel in the police station. Keep in mind that telephone calls in police stations and jails are recorded. Remain silent.
Booking Process
Once physically handcuffed, you will be taken to central booking for processing. Processing means getting your photo and fingerprints taken, being searched (may include strip search), and being placed in a holding cell or temporary jail until you see a Superior Court Judge. San Diego County criminal defendants are taken to Downtown or Chula Vista; federal criminal defendants are taken to MCC. Provide answers to questions regarding your identity and identifying information, like name, address, date of birth, height, and weight.
Get Legal Help Today
Not all arrests require an arrest warrant. Expect to be arrested immediately if the suspected crimes involve domestic violence, a crime in progress, and DWI or DUI cases. A police officer’s observations of a crime in process are enough to establish probable cause and make the arrest legal. The San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney David Boertje is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for consultation. Call us toll free at (888) 476-0901 or contact us on the web to start legal representation.