False imprisonments happen due to false accusations. The question is what to do when someone is making a false accusation against you. Generally, it is in your best interest to take a step back and understand the situation.
Here is what to do if you are accused of a crime that you did not commit.
Two Possible Contexts of False Accusations
Typically, false accusations happen in two contexts. Firstly, a criminal context where someone makes a false accusation against you of having committed a crime. They might have reported the crime to the police, and the police are investigating it.
The second context is a false accusation that is made more in a civil context. There might be a pending civil case – or – the accusers are smearing you online or in the public.
The context of the false accusation will change the way that you respond to it. If the accusation is of a criminal context, you need to hire an attorney, such as one of the attorneys at Hendrickson & Long, PLLC, as you cannot navigate and expect to deal with the investigation without legal help.
Do Not Talk to the Police
If the accusation is of a criminal context, the only person that you are talking to is your attorney. Never make the mistake of talking to the police. When criminal charges are pending, and you are without an attorney – this scenario is going to be fundamentally disadvantageous to you.
Talking to the police will serve you no purpose at all. There is plenty of evidence and research that can walk you through the potential dangers of trying to talk to the police on your own – if you are not represented by a lawyer.
The thing is that if you are dealing with a pending criminal case and there is some false accusation against you – you need an attorney. This is the bottom line of dealing with a false accusation that is of a criminal context.
Don’t Make False Accusations Back
There are a few things that one should keep in mind. If the allegations are false, which is the presumption here – then the truth is on your side, and you need to keep that on your side instead of stooping low to the accuser’s level and making false accusations back against them.
Always remain hopeful that with the help of an attorney, the truth will ultimately come out, and you will be vindicated against the false accusations. It is much more difficult to be vindicated if you have stooped to the accuser’s level and you are now making false accusations back at them.
Know That You Are Not Alone
Understandably, if there are false accusations against you – it is deeply troubling. As a matter of fact, false accusations will put you into a tailspin to the point that you might feel alone and betrayed. It can feel as if the person whom you have always trusted in the world and who was your life partner has now become the villain, making all these accusations against you.
Perhaps you had intentionally overlooked some red flags or some things that you wish you had taken notice of before. Now, the person you trusted the most has turned their wrath against you, and now you need to react and protect yourself.
So, the thing is that you are not alone. There are other people who have been through the same thing and have dealt with the same issue. Whatever has happened to you has happened to countless other people before you, too.
This aspect also indicates that there are other people who can support you through this process. Having this basic understanding that you are not alone helps you get out of self-pity and constantly blaming yourself.
Do Not Talk to the Accuser
Another thing that you should keep in mind is that if false accusations have been made against you, you shouldn’t be alone with the accuser anymore. You certainly should find a way to protect yourself from being alone with them in the future.
On the same note, avoid talking to the accuser. Also, avoid arguing with the accuser. It can seem the right thing to do to call them or visit them in person to explain yourself. But – keep in mind that at this point – it is your duty to protect yourself. The best thing you can do is to not engage with them in person.
If you do have to talk to them, make sure to have some sort of recorded device so that they cannot continue to make false accusations against you.
Talk to Your Attorney
On the same thought, if you have already hired an attorney – make sure that all communication is done through the attorney. By doing so, you will avoid any possibility of the accuser misconstruing or taking your words out of context.
If you are only going to talk to the attorney – no one can misrepresent your words and say that you said something that you didn’t. If you don’t have an attorney yet – make sure that everything is in writing, and before you send out an email or text – make sure to think twice about whether or not you should be sending the text.
A tip that might help is that if you write a message, let it remain there overnight. If you still feel the need to send it the next morning – only send the text then – else – delete it for good. You might as well want to rewrite anything three times before sending it.
Also, make sure not to send anything that you don’t want to be read in the courtroom.
Understand the Truth is On Your Side
As you go through the entire court process due to the false accusations against you, keep in mind that you are now seeing the actual person or the person without their mask. At one point, the accuser might have been on your side – but now the mask is off.
Now you see the actual person – but – remember that with the help of the lawyer, the truth is on your side, and you need to keep it on your side.
