Talking in the US context. The Miranda warning says anything you say can be used against you in a court of law but never to support your case. So as I see it talking to the cops makes no sense irrespective of whether you have committed a crime or not. So why do suspects sit for hours long interviews with the cops?
Edit:- “… never to support your case”. As some commenters pointed out the Miranda warning doesn’t say that. That’s right, I meant it in an implicit way. I just saw a defense attorney’s YT video who said that’s the hidden part.
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In the US, the police are allowed to lie to you.
It is 100% legal for a police office to tell you “We have DNA evidence that places you at the scene. We already can prove that you were there. We just need you to tell us exactly how it all went down. If you cooperate with us, it will help you get a lighter sentence”, even if they don’t have any evidence of any kind.
It is also 100% legal for the police to tell you “These are just some quick questions. We don’t think you’re involved. We just want to double check some details for the paperwork”, hoping that you will let your guard down and waive your right to have an attorney present while you are being questioned. They are not allowed to deny you a lawyer, but they can frame questioning in such a way that it makes you worried that you will appear guilty if you do request a lawyer.
Sometimes, they make up lies that are so convincing that people confess to crimes they didn’t commit because they are scared that no court would believe that they were innocent based on all the “evidence” the police claim to have.
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