Can a polygraph be used in court if I agree to take it?
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Can a polygraph be used in court if I agree to take it?
A ring was taken and several people are in question but I’m the only one that was asked to take the polygraph test.
Asked on January 2, 2012 under Criminal Law, Virginia
Answers:
John Ryan / Law Offices of John Patrick Ryan
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Under no circumstances should you ever talk to the police (or anybody else for that matter). It is never wise to speak to the police, not ever, not for any reason. You have two rights here: (1) to remain silent. This means that all you can do is keep your "lip zipped", the Constitution does NOT give you the right to try to talk your way out of a bad situation with a cop. The police are trained to trip you up and to use anything you say against you. Cops can lie, they can threaten you, they can do almost anything. Your only defense is to REMAIN SILENT which means "don't say anything." (2) Your second right is to have an attorney present with your during questioning. If the cops want to ask you a question, and you say the magic word "attorney" then they have to stop questioning you. The only way to shut up a cop is to use the magic word "attorney". That's it. Don't talk to the cops. Call a lawyer and insist that your lawyer be present during any questioning. I can't tell you how many clients that I have shot themselves in the foot because they thought that they could talk their way out of a bad situation. All they succeeded in doing was to talk themselves into jail. CALL A LAWYER NOW.
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