What Happens If You’ve Already Admitted Guilt to a Crime?

Confession or Not, You Still Have Rights Worth Defending

If you’ve already given an admission of guilt or provided police with a statement about a crime, you may be worried that your case is already lost. But don’t panic yet! Just because you admitted to something does not mean an automatic guilty verdict. You still have rights and defenses that an experienced criminal attorney can help protect.

Was Your Admission of Guilt Even Admissible?

The first thing to look at is whether your statement would even be allowed as evidence against you in court. There are a couple of key factors:

1. Were you read your Miranda rights?

Police are required to inform you of your right to remain silent and right to an attorney before any custodial interrogation.[^1] If they failed to properly “Mirandize” you, your lawyer can argue to have your statement excluded from evidence.

2. Was your statement voluntary?

An admission of guilt or confession must be voluntarily given to be admissible.[^2] If you were threatened, coerced, tricked or had your will overborne in any way to elicit the statement, it should not be allowed in court. Your attorney can file a motion to suppress, arguing your statement was involuntary.

Defenses May Still Apply Even If You Admit Guilt

Even if your statement cannot be kept out of evidence, that doesn’t mean the prosecutor has an open-and-shut case against you. Depending on the facts, your criminal defense lawyer may still be able to present defenses on your behalf, such as:

• Lack of criminal intent (mens rea)
• Self-defense or defense of others
• Duress or necessity
• Mistaken admission (intoxication, mental health issues, coercion)
• Challenging other evidence (forensics, eyewitnesses, etc.)

The specific defenses that may apply will depend on the unique details of your case. But the key takeaway is that an admission of guilt alone does not automatically equal a conviction.

Get Legal Help Right Away to Protect Your Rights

If you’ve given a statement to police admitting guilt, the most important thing you can do is exercise your right to an attorney. Get legal advice before saying anything else to investigators. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can review the circumstances of your statement, explore any grounds for challenging it, and advise you of your best path forward.

At the Nieves Law Firm, we offer free and confidential consultations to discuss your side of the story and your legal options. Don’t let an admission of guilt deter you from mounting a strong defense. Call us today and let our knowledgeable attorneys fight for the best possible outcome in your case.

[^1]: See Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966).

[^2]: See People v. Linton, 56 Cal. 4th 1146, 1176 (2013) (“The prosecution has the burden of establishing by a preponderance of the evidence that a defendant’s confession was voluntarily made.”).