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"Dateline" is a case study in why you shouldn't talk to the police
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:04 PM Author: The Penis Was watching it last night and people were having long interviews with police, giving up their phones to be analyzed, incriminating the fuck out of themselves. Was wild. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012719) |
Date: July 20th, 2026 5:17 PM Author: cowgod Even if you didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t talk to them. Period. This isn’t just nigger advice. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012747) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:19 PM Author: The Penis You can talk to them if it's really practical stuff where you have to answer basic questions for whatever reason. But talking to them where it is questioning directed specifically at you where they suspect you committed a crime, then hell no. You have nothing to gain from it and whatever you say is irreversible. People underestimate how much damage they can do from these conversations. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012754) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 7:05 PM Author: cowgod You can’t predict what will be used against you, period. Like you could witness a car accident and stay behind for 90 minutes and do your Civic Duty and tell the cop what you saw, then the URM who caused the accident tells the cop it was Your Fault and then the cop Tases you. Once or twice I’ve seen random Houses burning down and I just kept driving. They’ll think that You did it if you call it in. And if you rescue an occupant they’ll Sue you. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013030) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 7:23 PM Author: Jesus Christ I'm online again (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013060) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 7:47 PM Author: The Penis I agree, the risk isn't zero for those things. But I think the risk profile is substantially different for doing an extended interview with police where they call you in under suspicion, vs reporting some emergency. I think it is still the right thing to report an accident or house fire or violent crime if you see it. Doesn't mean you have to transform that into unlimited narrative. Don't speculate and give them limited barebones factual observations. That said, I never report anything irl. Just assume someone else will and keep walking. Have walked by dead bodies in the street multiple times over the past year and just kept walking. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013118) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 7:58 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) The real truth is that cops aren't interested in railroading innocent people, and are performing a crucial, necessary public service. It's a good to talk to them if you're not under suspicion. If you were victimized you would want people who may have information talking to police. Also, if you don't talk when a normal person would that could raise suspicion or make things worse. E.g. if you get pulled over for speeding and invoke your 5th amendment rights when he asks "How's your day going?" you're gonna get a ticket, not a warning.
The rub is that this nuance is lost on most people, and it can be hard to tell whether you're under suspicion. So lawyers tell people "DON'T SAY ANYTHING" because that's impossible to misunderstand up, and people will STILL talk! |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 8:14 PM Author: The Penis Yeah I agree with this. I don't think police are inherently evil, there is nothing special about them. But they are doing their job, and that job can entail gathering evidence against you to convict you of a crime. So when they actually are performing an interview of you because they suspect you've done something, you shouldn't hang yourself with your own words by talking to them. That said, there are definitely practical circumstances where you basically have to talk to them, and this isn't nearly the same risk level as allowing yourself to be interrogated for hours without a lawyer present. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013155) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 10:43 PM Author: Ceci n'est pas un pumo "The real truth is that cops aren't interested in railroading innocent people,"
The risk generally doesn't lie in LEO & prosecutors deliberately railroading innocent people.
The risk lies in the fact that the vast majority of LEO & prosecutors are very dumb people. Even people you'd think (or at least hope) would have the lowest chance of retardation, like a seasoned AUSA.
There are lots and lots of really dumb AUSAs out there. And on average, everyone else is even worse. |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 10:57 PM Author: ...,,..;...,,..,..,...,,,;.., this, plus they're lazy. if it's easy to railroad an innocent person to close the case, they will. dumb and lazy is a bad combo. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013571) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:19 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) I can understand why retards would talk to the police thinking they can talk themselves out of it, but why the fuck would they give up their phone when they know they're guilty? What good could that possibly do for them? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012753) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:24 PM Author: The Penis You should watch this one on Dateline that recently posted called "breaking point". It is like a case study in why you should talk to the police, although the guy who get's convicted is an absolute creep who killed the girl and deserved to get got. But it's wild, he would have gotten away with it I'm pretty sure if he didn't talk to the police and give them his phone.
And yeah I agree with you on the phone thing. For instance if it were me I wouldn't give up my phone without a warrant and by the time they got the warrant my phone would have been wiped, and locked with a passcode so that even if they happened to exploit a vulnerability and get into the phone (doubtful on a new iphone) it would have nothing on it. None of that even looks sketchy as long as you don't talk and have an attorney managing everything, and to the extent that it does it's better than talking and handing everything over. |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:35 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) That's a good example on what you should talk to the police if you're Rust Cohle level savvy! Find out what evidence they're after and then destroy it lol.
But yeah, throughout my experience in the justice system criminals do so such profoundly dumb shit but it's still blows my mind every time. I heard that the copy machine polygraph bit in The Wire was actually something PDs did that elicited confessions. |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:40 PM Author: The Penis In this episode I'm talking about, it is about this creepy as fuck Loser dork working at fed ex. He becomes intensely obsessively fixated on some chick that works there and surreptitiously takes all kinds of creepy video footage of her, downloads all of her instagram photos, uses an application to save snapchats without her knowledge etc. Then uses it all to create a fantasy chatlog on his phone which he updates daily where he pretends she is his gf. Then what happens is one day he steals her phone to get access to the pics in it and she finds out and stops talking to him and starts complaining to HR about it. So he drives to her house before work one day and shoots her in the head. He actually left his phone at his apartment when he did it so it looked like he was home. But also they found video footage of a car that looked like his that matched the timeline (although couldn't ID the license plate or him as the driver) and also of him washing the undercarriage of his car twice because he left imprints in the mud at her house. Forensics failed to match the bullets or guns to the ones they found in his father's drawer. But he gave two interviews with the police where he lied his ass off and looked like a creep, and also handed over his phone voluntarily for analysis where they found all the incriminating material. Thoughts on that? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012805) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 6:06 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) Creepy loser dorks are so used to getting bullied by chads that they stop offering any resistance. Especially when they're in a position of authority. Reminds me of that chick that blew her McDonald's voice because a prank caller pretending to be the police told her to.
Or maybe he thought he had deleted that stuff but they recovered it. Also he left his phone at home, so maybe he thought he would be exonerated and they'd think he might be a creep but didn't kill her. Cops are good at framing it as if they already know you're guilty, and the only thing you can do to save yourself is cooperate and prove your innocence. Knowing that he had left his phone at home already, they probably said "We think you did it and can get your phone location data, so if you weren't there let us search your phone, and if it shows you weren't we know you weren't." |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 6:17 PM Author: The Penis Yeah I asked GPT to search the actual case materials just now. It is basically saying that he probably gave it to them because he wanted to establish the alibi, which he deliberately left at his apartment, and that he likely did not think he deleted the creepy material because there was a substantial amount of it. And that he probably thought the alibis would outweigh the material, and he could play it off like it was just a harmless fantasy or consensual. Also that voluntarily cooperating would make him look innocent. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012909) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 6:27 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) Exactly. Knowing that he left his phone at home because they've already subpoenaed the location data, the cop says: "99% of people that are arrested for murder are convicted, you can look it up. The fact is that once we arrest you it's almost certain you're going to jail for murder. And we have enough for that. We have video of a car matching yours leaving her place and video of you washing your car multiple times later. We know that she cut off contact with you and went to HR about you. How's it going to look when she's murdered right after that? But it's not a crime to fantasize about someone, so if you have stuff on your phone about her that's not a crime. But if it shows that you weren't there, all that circumstantial stuff isn't worth shit. But if you don't cooperate it's going to look really bad. Like I said, we already have enough to arrest, and when that happens that stats say its case closed, so if your cell phone proves you weren't there, it's in your interest to show us." (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012934) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 6:33 PM Author: The Penis Exactly. Also what's funny is that him leaving his phone at home is actually part of what got him convicted because it helps to establish motive, also it made every other ambiguous circumstance look like part of a deliberate plan. Without that and the police interview and suspicious shit he said to everyone else involved, he could have gotten off. The video surveillance (videos at fed ex of him going through the girl's phone that he stole for an hour, videos of a car that was consistent with his driving toward her house during the relevant time frame, and videos of him washing the undercarriage of his car twice, plus inconclusive forensic evidence about the bullets and gun) was vulnerable to regular reasonable doubt arguments without the rest of the context, and could be construed as him just being a suspicious person with ambiguous physical evidence.
His lawyer tried arguing he was meek and unthreatening and obsessed with pokemon and fictional stories. I think that just made him look like a bigger Loser and more likely to be convicted. |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 6:47 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) This does wind up showing that it's never a good idea to talk to police when you're under suspicion. This could be a one-armed man situation, a random killing by a guy who drives the same car that just so happened to occur after she went to HR, and in that situation the suspect would be highly motivated to work with police to remove suspicion and because he'd want to find m'lady's killer.
The Fugitive 2 but it's some neckbeard simp hunting down m'lady's true killer. |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 7:41 PM Author: The Penis Exactly. Replace him with an innocent man whose similar Ford happened to be traveling nearby, who had an embarrassing but nonviolent fixation, and who sincerely wanted to find Morgan’s killer. Guy still would have looked way more guilty by talking to the cops. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013109) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 11:07 PM Author: Ceci n'est pas un pumo "This does wind up showing that it's never a good idea to talk to police when you're under suspicion."
No.
If the cops suspect you of something but you are innocent, you're not going to have any clue of what they suspect you of until one of two things happen: you talk to them (STUPID), or you decline to talk to them and have them communicate through your attorney.
It's never a good idea to talk to the police. Period. |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 11:13 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) When you get pulled over do you just stare at the cop autistically? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013605) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 11:34 PM Author: Ceci n'est pas un pumo No. Last two times I've been pulled over, I got off with warnings even though I could have easily been cited for at least 3 offenses.
You raise a good point though. You have to be mindful that you need to stop cooperating at some point. The sooner the better. |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 11:36 PM Author: ...,,..;...,,..,..,...,,,;.., i said that below. for routine traffic stops if you're white, pulling some autistic 5th amendment shit isnt the cr move (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013659) |
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Date: July 21st, 2026 7:20 AM Author: VoteRepublican (A true Chad!! where's your gf/wifew?) why wont they get u on wiping the phone (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013859) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:29 PM Author: Junko Enoshima In Canada you have to sit there and let the detective ask you questions until they get tired of it. And the Crown can play the video of you sitting there getting grilled for the jury, so there the best move is to answer the innocuous questions but not say anything important. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012772) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:31 PM Author: The Penis People always think they are "just answering the innocuous questions" and "not saying anything important", not realizing how much damage the stuff they are saying can do. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012778) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:32 PM Author: Junko Enoshima In Canada there's no magic words to end the interview, so trying your best to talk but not say anything is the best strategy, because refusing to answer any questions looks terrible. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012783) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:33 PM Author: The Penis Do you have the right for an attorney to be present at least? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012788) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:35 PM Author: Junko Enoshima No. Instead you have the right to retain and instruct counsel without delay, which means the police will send you to a room with a phone to talk to a lawyer and then when you're done you have to go back and talk to the detective alone. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012791) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:38 PM Author: Fucking Fuckface No, but if you give it long enough, one of Canada's 361 million Indians will find his way in and quietly defecate in the corner (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012802) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:37 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) Wouldn't selectively answering questions look even worse? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012800) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:45 PM Author: The Penis I think it would, because it would be revealing just what you decided not to answer vs. answer. Compared to just answering nothing. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012813) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:49 PM Author: gunnerretttired (gunneratttt) Did you know the victim.
Yes.
How did you meet her?
We worked together.
Did you find her attractive?
Yes, she was very pretty.
Did you rape her?
No comment.
Did you murder her?
No comment.
What was work like afterwards?
Well, people were very sad and shocked of course. It's not every day one of your coworkers gets raped and murdered! |
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Date: July 21st, 2026 7:15 AM Author: potluck Did you know John?
Not really.
But you know how he died?
Suicide, right?
I’m asking the questions. Suicide? How do you know?
I don’t.
You don’t know?
No, I don’t even know John.
Well, he lived in your building, did he not?
Yes. Kind of a depressed guy. Floor 7. He definitely seems like the type that’d commit suicide. Also I was out last night just so you know.
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:33 PM Author: the wife guy cinematic universe At the grocery store the other say and a cop came up to me and asked who i was, I didn't even say a word. I might as well have been mute. Turns out I left my kids in the car with the windows up and they had to get firemen to break one to get them out. That's on me but still. Kids were fine. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012786) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 5:34 PM Author: The Penis (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50012789) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 8:39 PM Author: Penis Head (oppose bitchbois) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013192) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 8:43 PM Author: Diamond Dallas Chad Did you grow a beard to get the kids back? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013198) |
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Date: July 21st, 2026 7:16 AM Author: potluck (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013856) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 10:53 PM Author: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, the GOAT vid on this topic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 11:00 PM Author: ...,,..;...,,..,..,...,,,;.., the cop's red dress shirt is so prole. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013576) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 11:01 PM Author: pool's closed due to AIDS It's okay to talk to them if you have a counter-case against them involving all sorts of atrocities committed over things as routine as a speeding ticket and you also had the foresight to seal this in an envelope and send it out of the country to be disseminated at a later date (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013578) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 11:03 PM Author: ...,,..;...,,..,..,...,,,;.., for a routine traffic stop, pulling weird 5th amendment shit is the bad way to cause potential escalation if you're white. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013582) |
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Date: July 20th, 2026 11:45 PM Author: pool's closed due to AIDS probably, but if you don't make them pay the toll for wasting your time they're never going to stop (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013676) |
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Date: July 21st, 2026 6:49 AM Author: ...,,..;...,,..,..,...,,,;.., again, being self interested and making the optimal decision in that moment to avoid a potential escalation against an 85 iq meathead with a gun is more important than sending a message (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013842) |
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Date: July 21st, 2026 7:01 AM Author: norwood classic yeah, this is the Catch I see in these 'Never Talk to The Police, Period' maximalists' advice on YouTube and Reddit.
If I am driving home from committing a murder and get pulled over, yeah, I am not saying anything.
but this idea that I should provoke the cops on the side of the road by refusing to roll my window down and then sliding a business card sized copy of The Constitution through a crack in the door seems like asking for more trouble than I could possibly avoid during a traffic stop. |
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Date: July 21st, 2026 7:03 AM Author: The Penis Yeah this is how I see it too (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013846) |
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Date: July 21st, 2026 7:05 AM Author: ...,,..;...,,..,..,...,,,;.., yeah, some pig looking to fill his quota of tickets for the month pulling normal white people over at a speed trap or for rolling a stop sign isnt looking to escalate shit, and no reason to provoke him. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5884526&forum_id=2.#50013847) |