At the Kosnett Law Firm, our Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys know that there are multiple ways a defendant can hurt his or her case after a California arrest. Unfortunately, they may not know they are doing it, which can come as a surprise when the prosecutor decides to proceed with their case because the defendant’s mistakes have helped build their case.
Here, our Los Angeles County defense lawyers offer some advice to help minimize the damages from your arrest.
Do Not Post About Your Arrest on Social Media
If you were arrested for a crime — any crime, from a DUI or drug charges to firearms or federal charges — do not post about it on social media.
The prosecutor’s office may have access to your public profile and can see any posts that are related to drinking, drugs, firearms, or committing a federal crime to help support their case. Even if your profile is private, there are ways around the setting, and they may be able to access valuable information about where you were when the crime occurred and place you directly at or near the scene.
Do Not Contact Your Accuser
In some cases, people are accused of crimes, arrested, and detained before they can tell their side of the story. This is typically true in robberies and sex crimes cases, where the alleged victim is taken at his or her word, which is unfair to the accused, but it does happen.
If you contact an alleged victim or a witness, you can be charged with intimidation or another serious charge that can jeopardize your freedom while your defense is still being built.
Do not get into more trouble while your charges are still pending. This will only hurt your case. Even if you believe the accused needs to hear your side of the story, tell it to your criminal defense attorney instead, and we will get to the bottom of the charges by uncovering all the facts.
Do Not Destroy Anything You Believe May Be Evidence
What most people do not know is, destroying evidence is a crime. It is also exceedingly difficult to do. Deleting text messages, erasing voicemails, or throwing away something you believe might be evidence is a crime. And, in most cases, each of these items can be retrieved by law enforcement, which may jeopardize the integrity of your defense.
Contact Our Skilled Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorneys to Discuss Your Case Today
If you are facing criminal charges in California, do not face the prosecutor’s office alone. Contact our skilled Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys at the Kosnett Law Firm today by calling (310) 445-5900 or by contacting us online to review your unique circumstances and provide straightforward legal options while protecting your rights from the beginning.
