[PSA] Do NOT shut your mouth if you're arrested by LE

With the risks involved in this business, it's imperative that we make no mistakes if we find ourselves in a position which none of us want to be in: under arrest. Now, 99% of the posts on here regarding this say "shut your mouth, don't say a word", but while this is good advice most of the time, it may not save you if you're a US citizen.

Here's the problem: Explicit Invocation

Back in 2000, a fellow named Van Chester Thompkins was arrested as a suspect in a fatal shooting, and when interrogated, went completely silent (with the exception of a couple comments that had no bearing on the case). At some point, the investigators asked him three questions in sequence:

Did he believe in God?

Did he pray to God?

Did he pray to God to forgive him for shooting the victim?

Unfortunately for Mr. Thompkins, he answered yes to all three questions (however, later claimed that his responses were involuntary). His motion was denied and he was sentenced to life without parole.

Now you may be thinking that his mistake here was answering those three questions, but his bigger mistake was not explicitly stating "I am invoking my right to remain silent."

Repeat after me:

"I am invoking my right to remain silent, please appoint an attorney to me." (given that you do not already have an attorney)

Once more:

"I am invoking my right to remain silent, please appoint an attorney to me."

Why is stating this necessary? Because in 2010, the US Supreme Court ruled that a person MUST plead the fifth to avoid self incrimination. Source. What this means is you shutting your mouth CAN be viewed as evidence of guilt.

All this said, do not say ANYTHING else. Once your attorney is present, you've done all you can do.

At all costs, don't get arrested in the first place. While your charges may not be to harsh (depending on your DOC(s) and whether or not you're a dealer), every member of our team faces life in prison if shit hits the fan. Vendors and resellers, this applies to you guys most.

Well, thats the end of this rant, stay safe (and just a bit paranoid), and Godspeed.

HereBeDragons

P.S. Do not contact us for legal advice. We are not lawyers. We are just a team of ordinary people who send drugs in the mail for Internet money.

Here's a Wikipedia article for those of you who don't want to read that bureaucratic illegible PDF.

TLDR for you lazy fucks: Tell them nice police officers that you would like to remain silent, before remaining silent.

EDIT: Many of you are making the valid point that you could theoretically shut your face and sit through the interrogations and end up not incriminating yourselves. However, the point is most people, even those who believe that they can make it through hours of questioning, will break at some point. When you have the option to stop the questioning and have a lawyer given to you for free, why wouldn't you accept it?

Here's the best analogy we could come up with: Imagine you want to get from San Fransisco to Los Angeles. Now you could walk there, but you're guaranteed to have a bad time and chances are you won't make it. But there's also a second option, where the government will give you a free plane ticket, and all you have to do is ask for it. Why would you walk? All you are doing is putting yourself at risk and making your life a whole lot worse.


Comments


[49 Points] None:

[deleted]


[23 Points] RemoteViewingTrainee:

or "I will not make any statements until I have spoken to an attorney"

note that you are required to provide your name and address.


[18 Points] None:

There is a Japanese word that is appropriate for this line of questioning, but I wouldn't use it in a legal situation.

The word is mu It basically has been interpreted by the West to mean "I reject the premise of your question"

So the proper answer to "Did he pray to God to forgive him for shooting the victim?" is mu. It is a way of invalidating a yes/no question.

Again, to be clear I wouldn't use this if you are being questioned by LE. But it is handy in many social situations.


[11 Points] None:

Meth meth meth meth meth meth


[11 Points] None:

Luckily, my only arrest did not involve anything DNM related. Even though it was about drugs. I just kept asking the fucker for a cigarette. Kept telling me that he had to ask his boss if I could have one. I'm like "come one, I know one of you iron lungs has got a pack of smokes in this building, if only I could have a smoke to calm down a little bit..." "Lemme go ask my boss again" (interrogated comes back in the room) I stand up all excited "can I have a cigarette now? please?"

I ended that interrogation by taking the biggest, most gnarly acid shit in my life right in their personal bathroom. I had eaten a whole cucumber (no jokes please god damnit) seeds and all right before the cops showed up. I paced back and forth in that interrogation room demanding to be allowed to use a bathroom. I stood in front of the double sided mirror and stated in a rather aggravated tone that if I was not allowed to use a bathroom that I would unleash this big shit in my ass all over their beautifully carpeted little interrogation chamber. And then I was led to their personal in office bathroom where I repainted their toilet. I'm talking legit, squirty acid shit. Straight spraying. Dude stood at the door with his foot holding it open xD I was like "hey man, you wanna check this shit to see if there are anymore drugs before I flush? I won't lie, it's pretty messy" his co-workers started cracking the fuck up "no, just flush and spray some Lysol please" xD

Stupid pig bitches, you know they just bust us so that they can get high in their offices and have butt secks before they go home to their legally bound mistress right? They can't find the time to make up an excuse that the boys are having poker night at Jimmy's place so they put us in handcuffs and just can't contain the hard on in their pants from how excited they are to get high on lord knows what and poke each other in the sphincter. I mean, I have yet to see a female cop on the business side of drug busts aside from a states attorney or a judge. And the states attorney tried to convince the court that my mushrooms were worth 20/gram. I thought to myself "that greedy bitch! I bet she thinks she prays to a real God too! HAHAHHAA"


[8 Points] diOpAnonMu:

Those thinking they're better off shutting their mouth instead of invoking their right to remain silent should read up on the Reid method. It'll break lots of people and doesn't even expect much talking out of you for a while.


[8 Points] None:

"My parents told me to never talk to strangers." is the typical response you will hear from people here.


[6 Points] Eddie_M:

I would recommend that you tell the officers that you would like to invoke your right to counsel and remain silent until you have had a chance to speak to an attorney.

Also, remember that lying to a federal officer is a separate federal offense (ala Martha Stewart).


[6 Points] ripndipp:

He got Brendan Dassey'd


[3 Points] None:

[deleted]


[3 Points] None:

Can I just do this instead? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdeo7Q2E5cE


[2 Points] coffeencreme:

'I wish to speak to my lawyer. Until then I am invoking my right to silence'.


[2 Points] Landocal1:

I really hope that decision is overturned. You shouldn't have to declare that you are invoking a right, it should just be naturally exercised. This is problem with having a corrupt judiciary.


[1 Points] samwhiskey:

Yep.


[1 Points] Manteca96:

Silence is still golden


[1 Points] None:

[removed]


[1 Points] None:

[deleted]


[1 Points] SoulUndead:

Thanks bud.


[1 Points] mintlumps:

I have considered creating something like business cards that specifically state "I am invoking my fifth amendment rights and remaining silent. I am also invoking my fourth amendment rights against any illegal search and seizure. My legal counsel must be present before any further questions can be asked." and then providing said attorney's info. I would give these to the police during any questioning, or have them in my wallet for during a search. Is this something others have thought about or utilize? Or perhaps a better way to say this? Is it true that once you request a lawyer they are no longer allowed to ask any further questions/they would not be allowed as evidence?


[1 Points] None:

Ahh the old Yes-set Close technique a NLP trick favored by salesmen and PUA all around the world.


[1 Points] None:

you can skip reading all this and just remember: if you are ever arrested just pick an interesting tile or ceiling panel and don't stop staring at it. the only thing you should say is "lawyer". you cant go wrong with that advice. if they offer you a subway sandwich feel free to take it, they may or may not spit in it. i dont think eating a sandwich they bought you is going to help the prosecutors case.

source: cop once bought me a subway sandwich then got mad when i refused to eat it


[1 Points] Anouther:

Many of you are making the valid point that you could theoretically shut your face and sit through the interrogations and end up not incriminating yourselves.

No, that case ruled that your silence can be used as evidence of your guilt.


[1 Points] madisonrebel:

Easier words: "I have nothing to say."


[1 Points] PanoramicCeiling:

/r/LegalAdvice


[1 Points] qsift2:

Does it literally have to be those words? Or can you just say "i'm remaining silent. please contact my lawyer."


[1 Points] donkey90745:

Sound advice for when you are pulled over on the side of the road, with a cop at your window asking questions. Never answer questions and ask to leave unless you are being detained. If you are detained, ask for a lawyer on the spot. When the cop wants to search your car, refuse. Then ask if you can leave. If you can't leave, ask for a lawyer and Invoke your rights!


[1 Points] alltheshrams:

I appreciate your effort in this, but you have fucked up a LOT in not only your original post (and ESPECIALLY in your edit), but in your responses in the comments below.

You got some stuff correct, but you just haven't explained it well, and your edit backtracks and then fucks your whole point up.


[1 Points] BudgetBuyer:

I'm curious, what's going to happen with us all down the road? A small number will get pinched. The rest of us will disappear, or stick around until laws change, I guess? Is there going to be a strong counter-effort to DNMs by LE/some other branch? Will Tor get cracked? Will this subreddit get shut down? Will Bitcoin fail or change regulation? Will bitcoin-sniffing software make DNM dealing risky/obsolete? What role do the moderators play into all this? I have so many questions, and the prospect of what we're all doing doesn't even seem real at times.


[1 Points] None:

[deleted]


[1 Points] SecondChanceUsername:

At all costs, don't get arrested in the first place.

Got it. Everybody catch OP's advice? Why don't all you retards just do that to begin with...save us all a lot of trouble. Just stop getting arrested. Bingo! Problem solved.


[0 Points] goldandguns:

Congratulations you read a scotus case. Also don't ask cops to appoint you an attorney. Cops can't appoint attorneys.


[0 Points] mtspirate:

Ignore this post, don't say anything to cops. Ask for an attorney or hire one.


[1 Points] CynicalElephant:

Your post is highly misleading. You can't self incriminate yourself if you SHUT THE FUCK UP. He answered the third question, and incriminated himself. IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, it's pretty damn hard to self incriminate.

Saying you invoke the right to remain silent is cool and fine and all, but you don't have to do that shit if you just shut the fuck up.