Criminal Defense Attorney in Houston, Texas
A loved one has been arrested and is in jail – what should I do?
A loved one has been arrested and is in jail – what should I do?
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If a loved one calls you from jail and they’ve been arrested the first thing you need to tell them to do is not to discuss the incident over the phone. All of those phone lines in the jail are recorded and prosecutors are able to get a copy of that conversation and ultimately, could use it against that person in a court of law. So the first thing is say please, don’t tell me what happened. You can ask them what they were arrested for and that’s about it, because that’s public record everyone’s going to know that.
And then, after that you’re going to want to call a bonding agency and ask them to start watching to see when that person’s bond is posted so they can work on getting them out as fast as possible.
Houston, TX criminal defense attorney Leslie Rebescher explains what to do if a loved one has been arrested and is in jail. She points out that when someone calls her from jail after being arrested, she emphasizes that the first thing they should do is avoid discussing the incident over the phone. All phone lines in the jail are recorded, and prosecutors can obtain copies of those conversations, which could ultimately be used against the individual in court. She advises that they may ask what the person was arrested for, as that information is public record, but nothing beyond that. Afterward, she recommends contacting a bonding agency to monitor when the person’s bond is posted so they can work to secure their release as quickly as possible.
