Being arrested for drugs can be a terrifying experience. It can make you feel isolated and alone—as though all hope is lost. The system of arrest and prosecution is designed to make people feel that way. You must nevertheless hold to the principle that you are innocent until proven guilty.
The authorities may tell you that things will go easier for you if you cooperate. That is their word for giving up your Fifth Amendment right not to say anything that may incriminate you, and you should not fall for the ploy. The only person you should speak to is your lawyer.
Protecting Your Constitutional Rights
If you are arrested for a drug crime, you should say nothing to the police until you have consulted with an attorney such as the ones found at https://www.andrewalpert.com/. Once your lawyer arrives, they will tell you which questions you have to answer. If you are too rattled to speak, your lawyer can speak on your behalf. One of the first things your attorney will do is review the evidence the authorities have against you. It is often the case that the police exaggerate the amount of evidence they have on the people they hold in custody. If the police do not have enough to hold you, your lawyer will arrange for your release.
Forging Your Defense
If your case is moved forward, then you will need to mount a defense. Your attorney will want to hear your side of the story. They will want you to recount all that took place leading up to your arrest and the events that occurred afterward. This narrative will be used as the foundation of your legal strategy.
You should not have to go to prison and pay thousands of dollars in fines if you have done nothing wrong. Indeed, the police do not always get it right. They may have been investigating someone you know or doing surveillance on a place that you frequent. When they decided to make an arrest, you may have been swept up in the ensuing raid.
You cannot be convicted of a drug crime because of who you associate with or because you just happened to be in the place raided by law enforcement. Your lawyer will ensure that you do not go down for a crime you did not commit.
Your lawyer will scrutinize the state’s evidence against you and point out its shortcomings and the weakness of the arguments put forward by prosecutors. They will also highlight any procedural missteps made by the police. If at any point your constitutional rights were violated, your lawyer will push to have the case dismissed on that ground alone.
There Is Always Hope
Everyone makes mistakes. You may have done things that you regret and put yourself in legal jeopardy. You should not give up hope. The police may be investigating a larger criminal enterprise and the figures in it. You may have information that they need, and your lawyer can try to get you reduced or suspended sentence in exchange for it.
