Why You Should Never Talk to the Police (Without a Lawyer)

Art by Netow

We all know that we have the right to remain silent and that anything we say to the police may be used against us. But what if you're talking to the police or a federal official and you're completely innocent? Do you need a lawyer? Should you bother?

Yesterday I wrote about Paul Lukas who asserted his rights and refused to answer a customs official's question, "Why where you in China?" and then was detained. That got me thinking about the broader question: When and how should one answer a police officer's (or federal investigator's) questions.