Pennsylvania Attorney Aggressively Defending Rights
in Coerced Confession Cases
You have been arrested. You are confused, tired and frightened. Chances are, you just want to go home and wake up from the nightmare. It can happen: You will say almost anything just to have it be over.
Coerced, or involuntary, confessions are most often the result of psychological intimidation by police. They are also a violation of your Fifth Amendment rights and inadmissible in court. If you are arrested, you cannot be forced to submit to questioning without having an attorney present.
At The Law Offices of William R. Bernhart, we will scrutinize a confession to find inconsistencies, see if what a defendant says lines up with what is in the police report and check to see what was said and when it was said. With over 30 years of experience in criminal defense, we know how to get coerced confessions thrown out of court.
Anatomy of a Coerced Confession
Here are some of the components of a coerced confession, as well as some of the tactics law enforcement officials may use to get you to confess involuntarily:
- You were not properly advised of your Miranda rights
- You were convinced to waive your Miranda rights
- You were not encouraged to have a lawyer present during questioning
- You were made to feel intimidated
- You were told things like, "your buddy just told us what you did," even when it isn't true
- You are a minor and your parent or guardian was not present during questioning (there was no parental notification)
- You were illegally detained
If you are arrested, demand the legal counsel to which you are constitutionally entitled. If you were arrested and gave a coerced confession, seek the immediate legal assistance of a skilled criminal defense attorney. Call us at 610-285-8410 to discuss your options.
Call for a Free Initial Consultation – Start Protecting Your Rights
If you or a family member are in need of an experienced criminal law attorney to defend you in the case of a coerced confession, contact our Reading, Pennsylvania office by e-mail or call us at 610-285-8410 (toll-free at 1-866-970-1597) to schedule a free, confidential consultation.
