{"id":496,"date":"2022-09-05T09:30:50","date_gmt":"2022-09-05T16:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/?p=496"},"modified":"2022-11-08T08:04:44","modified_gmt":"2022-11-08T16:04:44","slug":"what-should-i-do-if-i-have-been-accused-of-a-crime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/what-should-i-do-if-i-have-been-accused-of-a-crime\/","title":{"rendered":"What Should I Do If I Have Been Accused of a Crime?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/shutterstock_1675741537-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-498\" width=\"264\" height=\"176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/shutterstock_1675741537-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/shutterstock_1675741537-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/shutterstock_1675741537.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 264px) 100vw, 264px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Being arrested or charged with a crime can be very frightening, especially if you have never been in a similar situation before. Unfortunately, when you are emotional and under a great deal of stress, you are more likely to make mistakes that could jeopardize the results of your case. Here is what you should do if you are accused of a crime in Maryland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do You Know You Are Accused of a Crime?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are numerous ways that you might find out you have\nbeen accused of a crime. First, you might be arrested by a police officer and\nbe informed of the accusations against you. In some cases, you might be served\nwith paperwork that details the accusations against you. In any situation where\nyou have found out that you are accused of a crime, you can expect police or\ndetectives to ask you questions relating to what happened to determine whether\nor not they would like to pursue charges or investigate further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Should You Do If You Are Accused of a Crime?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are innocent, your first impulse will probably be to\nspeak with the police and defend yourself. Unfortunately, this can cause more\nharm than good. First, you should immediately call your lawyer. The Law Office\nof Elizabeth Anu Lawrence will be able to inform you of any steps you should\ntake and provide you with counsel. Anything that you say, even if you think\nthat it is innocuous, can be used against you. You have a right to remain\nsilent and a right to request your attorney, and you should take advantage of\nthem. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should You Allow Searches or DNA Samples to Be Taken?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people believe that those who have nothing to hide\nreadily allow the police to take DNA samples or search their homes and\nvehicles. However, that is not the case. Even if you know that you are innocent\nand not involved, you should never give police blanket permission to search\nyour home, inspect your car, or take your DNA. If the police do have enough\nevidence to show that you might be connected, they will be able to get a warrant.\nUnless you are presented with a court order, you do not need to comply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should You Talk to the Person Accusing You?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No. Do not ever attempt to reach out to the person or\nbusiness that accused you of a crime. You might feel angry, hurt, or shocked\nand think that contacting the person will clear up the misunderstanding.\nHowever, this almost always backfires and leaves you in even more trouble, as\nthey might accuse you of intimidation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Protect Yourself with The Law Office of Elizabeth Anu Lawrence <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you or a loved one is uncertain how to proceed after\nbeing accused of a crime, choose an experienced firm like the Law Office of\nElizabeth Anu Lawrence to give you the help you need.&nbsp; Please give us a call at 443.352.3201. Skype\nand telephone consultation are both available to clients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are accused of a crime, it\u2019s hard to know how to react. Contact Elizabeth Anu Lawrence Law before you make a mistake.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-criminal-defense"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Should I Do If I Have Been Accused of a Crime? -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/what-should-i-do-if-i-have-been-accused-of-a-crime\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Should I Do If I Have Been Accused of a Crime? -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you are accused of a crime, it\u2019s hard to know how to react. 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