Cooperation with Investigation

[njungeb]

I am from OH and have a quick question on Police Investigations. To what extent do you have to participate? Do you have to participate at all? A friend is being investigated for something we truly have no knowledge of and we are not sure whether we would like to even talk with the detective or not. The incident happened before I had even met this friend.

 

[Jake648012003]

I would definately suggest IF he does talk to them to have an attorney with them. but NO he does NOT have to talk to them especially if he IS the suspect. If not I wouldn't worry so much about it.

 

[seniorjudge]

I am from OH and have a quick question on Police Investigations. To what extent do you have to participate? Do you have to participate at all? A friend is being investigated for something we truly have no knowledge of and we are not sure whether we would like to even talk with the detective or not. The incident happened before I had even met this friend.

Why do they want to talk to you if you don't know anything about this?

 

[njungeb]

Why do they want to talk to you if you don't know anything about this?

I don't know

 

[seniorjudge]

I don't know

Me neither.

 

[CdwJava]

To what extent do you have to participate?

As much or as little as you wish. Just don't lie. If you do not want to talk with them, say so. However, if you are later subpoeaned to court, you may be compelled to testify unless you invoke your 5th Amendment right to self incrimination ... but, what you have to say would have to tend to incriminate you in a criminal act - it's not an excuse to just keep your mouth shut.

Do you have to participate at all?

See above.

A friend is being investigated for something we truly have no knowledge of and we are not sure whether we would like to even talk with the detective or not. The incident happened before I had even met this friend.

Well, I can think of a few reasons why they might want to talk to you ... to verify some parts of the suspect's story, to clarify timelines or other issues that may have taken place afterwards, etc.

You can either decline, or, you can cooperate. if you suspect that this can in any way bite you in the buttox, then you might want to talk with an attorney.

- Carl