Can the police lie to you during an interrogation?

You need to know your rights when you deal with law enforcement officers. Although officers do have to inform you of some of your rights, such as providing you with the Miranda Warning before questioning you, they can engage in numerous actions to further the investigation that you may think are illegal or unethical.

Some people assume that they can challenge a police officer’s behavior or provide proof that the officer lied during an interrogation as a way to fight back against the charges that they face. What many people don’t realize is that police officers can legally lie to suspects while questioning them.

The cops can say what they need to during an investigation

One of the most well-known interrogation strategies involves not one but two officers lying in different ways to pressure a suspect in police custody. The good cop bad cop strategy involves one officer threatening or berating the suspect, followed by another acting sympathetic and supportive. Both officers may stretch the truth or outright lie while playing their role, all with the goal of creating a rapport between the suspect and the good cop so that they will confess.

Police officers can lie about what evidence they have or where they are at in the investigation. They can lie about how they will help you if you confess. Their only goal is to get you to implicate yourself, which is why it is so important for those facing interrogation, especially for serious crimes, to make use of the rights from the Miranda Warning. Invoking their right to silence and their right to have an attorney present during questioning can prevent them from falling victim to manipulative police strategies.

Police lies typically won’t help your defense in court

Even if you can conclusively prove that a police officer lied to you about what would happen if you confessed or cooperated with them, a judge would not throw out the charges against you or be more lenient when sentencing you just because a police officer lied to you. Lies by law enforcement officers are a well-known tool of the trade, so those facing investigation or arrest need to know how to assert their rights rather than expecting police officers to treat them with respect and honesty.

Understanding what happens during an investigation and your rights as a defendant can help you plan a viable criminal defense strategy.