What should you do if you’re accused of a crime?
Being accused of a crime can be scary. You may feel a whirlwind of emotions, from anger at the accusation to fear about what will happen to you—and possibly your family–if you’re convicted. The most important thing you can do immediately after being convicted of a crime is to stay calm. Getting angry and defensive about the accusation will not help your case. Instead, follow this easy guide to get the best support you need.
Stay off social media
In today’s high-tech age, one of the first things many people do after being accused of a crime is going on Facebook or Twitter. Whether it’s to rant about the accusation and give your side of the story or just ask what will happen, we can’t stress enough that this isn’t a good idea. Social media is not private, and in most cases, anything you post can be used against you.
For the most part, you should stay off of social media during these turbulent times. However, it’s not a bad idea to go through your social media accounts and remove any questionable content you may have.
Contact a lawyer
Whether you did the crime or not, the next step when you’re accused of a crime should be to hire a lawyer. Lawyers are educated in not only what to say but how to say it. Lawyers can also help you figure out what will happen if you’re convicted of the crime you’ve been accused of. This can help you prepare for the worst-case scenario while fighting for the best-case scenario.
Be honest with your lawyer
Nothing is worse than a lawyer being presented with surprises in court. Your lawyer is on your side, but they can only help you if they know the full story. That’s why it’s important, to be honest with your lawyer when they ask you direct questions, and then to take their advice seriously.
