wingless13's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent advice. Could have clarified what a lie constitutes and law enforcement training/tactics, but the overall point is the same and advice is solid. Recommended for everyone to read.
jacobstraub's review against another edition
2.0
This book is heavy opinion and light reality. The points he makes are really good, they're just presented in a way that makes him sound embittered. If he had chosen to include a handful of examples instead of dozens it would've been a better narrative.
iabouzied's review against another edition
5.0
Holy smokes this book could save your life. Incredible read, everything a book should be. Mindblowing, humorous, useful, and so incredibly succinct.
The message of this book is simple: DON'T TALK TO THE POLICE!
But please read this book. In just over a hundred pages, Duane, a criminal defense lawyer, will forever singe into your brain all of the ways even the most cooperative law-abiding citizens can have their lives destroyed by talking to the police and get absolutely shafted by the US Judicial System.
Duane makes shockingly clear how morally upstanding people can get in trouble due to overcriminalization in our legal system. You may agree thinking "Yeah, we shouldn't lock people up for smoking weed" but ohhh nonononono its much worse than that. Our legal code is so horrendous that one study estimates that the average American commits three felonies a day. My favorite example of lazy lawmaking from Duane is how trying to cheer up your grandma by lying and writing her a postcard about how great the weather is in Florida would implicate you in a market manipulation felony punishable by up to $1,000,000 and ten years in prison. You may be thinking, "Wow! That is bad. But the courts should sniff out cases like this". Read the book my friend...
The bulk of this book is thoroughly convincing you that you should never talk to the police by going through real world cases where it backfires. In fact one of the most shocking things I learned is that talking to the police can never help you because it is actually built into the legal system. In court, the police can only quote your statements if they benefit the prosecution. Any quote that could benefit your defense is considered heresay and inadmissible. This shit blew my mind.
The intuition "I have nothing to hide, no harm in helping" has destroyed lives. One man who was later exonerated on DNA evidence went to prison for the alleged murder of his wife. Wanting to help find the murderer of his wife, he spoke to the police at length. The statement that incriminated him? He told the police that the two of them had dinner at a restaurant at 9:30 pm the night before her murder. This statement incriminated him AFTER the police already verified it to be true. What?!
If you are feeling particularly lazy, listen to the first 26 minutes of this lecture by Duane. It has most of the arguments but with far fewer real world examples. He is a such captivating speaker I'm about to listen to it again even though I just read an entire book about it.
So watch it. But also read the book. And don't talk to the police.
The message of this book is simple: DON'T TALK TO THE POLICE!
But please read this book. In just over a hundred pages, Duane, a criminal defense lawyer, will forever singe into your brain all of the ways even the most cooperative law-abiding citizens can have their lives destroyed by talking to the police and get absolutely shafted by the US Judicial System.
Duane makes shockingly clear how morally upstanding people can get in trouble due to overcriminalization in our legal system. You may agree thinking "Yeah, we shouldn't lock people up for smoking weed" but ohhh nonononono its much worse than that. Our legal code is so horrendous that one study estimates that the average American commits three felonies a day. My favorite example of lazy lawmaking from Duane is how trying to cheer up your grandma by lying and writing her a postcard about how great the weather is in Florida would implicate you in a market manipulation felony punishable by up to $1,000,000 and ten years in prison. You may be thinking, "Wow! That is bad. But the courts should sniff out cases like this". Read the book my friend...
The bulk of this book is thoroughly convincing you that you should never talk to the police by going through real world cases where it backfires. In fact one of the most shocking things I learned is that talking to the police can never help you because it is actually built into the legal system. In court, the police can only quote your statements if they benefit the prosecution. Any quote that could benefit your defense is considered heresay and inadmissible. This shit blew my mind.
The intuition "I have nothing to hide, no harm in helping" has destroyed lives. One man who was later exonerated on DNA evidence went to prison for the alleged murder of his wife. Wanting to help find the murderer of his wife, he spoke to the police at length. The statement that incriminated him? He told the police that the two of them had dinner at a restaurant at 9:30 pm the night before her murder. This statement incriminated him AFTER the police already verified it to be true. What?!
If you are feeling particularly lazy, listen to the first 26 minutes of this lecture by Duane. It has most of the arguments but with far fewer real world examples. He is a such captivating speaker I'm about to listen to it again even though I just read an entire book about it.
So watch it. But also read the book. And don't talk to the police.
fairlyflowery's review
5.0
look, it’s a lot of similar stuff over & over again, but that stuff is interesting & important & might save your life. every person in america should read this book