At one point during the interrogation, the investigators even threatened to have his pet Labrador Retriever, Margosha, euthanized as a stray, and brought the dog into the room so he could say goodbye. “OK? Your dog’s now gone, forget about it,” said an investigator.

Finally, after curling up with the dog on the floor, Perez broke down and confessed. He said he had stabbed his father multiple times with a pair of scissors during an altercation in which his father hit Perez over the head with a beer bottle.

Perez’s father wasn’t dead — or even missing. Thomas Sr. was at Los Angeles International Airport waiting for a flight to see his daughter in Northern California. But police didn’t immediately tell Perez.

  • aleph@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    6 months ago

    The tax payer pays up almost $1M and these scumbags remain employed. How predictable.

    Also, just in case anyone isn’t aware: rule number one if you’re in the US and police ever bring you in and try to interrogate you is to shut down and demand a lawyer. Legally, the interview has to stop immediately until you have one present. If the officers don’t comply, then you know they’re corrupt and there’s no reason to believe anything they say from that point onwards.

      • Empricorn@feddit.nlEnglish
        0·
        6 months ago

        They are not allowed to lie in court, under oath… but they will anyway. To protect their illegal searches, their planted evidence, their bullying and excessive force, or just to save another cop they don’t even like! It’s called “the Blue Wall” and they will kill you or send you to prison to defend their right to be above the law…

      • Stupidmanager@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        6 months ago

        Not only will they lie to you, they will tell you that lying to them is also a crime. Cops are not your friend.

      • masquenox@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        6 months ago

        The police are allowed to lie to you.

        The pig is allowed to lie to you pretty much everywhere.

      • ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        6 months ago

        The police are allowed to lie to you.

        They’re also allowed to just be flat-out wrong about stuff. Like, for example, the law. You’d think as enforcers of the law they would be legally required to actually know the law, but that’s a big nope.

    • ricecake@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0·
      6 months ago

      Unfortunately, there has been precedent for the argument that the right to remain silent is one that needs to be continuously and positively invoked.
      So if they keep interrogating you and you choose to start talking, that can be interpreted as you waiving your right to remain silent.

      https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/questioning-after-claiming-miranda.html

      https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/when-how-invoke-your-right-silence.html

      Remaining silent is not enough, you have to articulate that you want to invoke your right to remain silent, unambiguously request a lawyer (no “I think I should have a lawyer for this”), and request a lawyer generally (no “I want a lawyer before I answer any questions about where I was”).

      “I am invoking my right to remain silent and I want a lawyer” is basically all you should say.

      The ACLU remains an excellent resource for being aware of your rights.

      https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/stopped-by-police

      • TranscendentalEmpire@lemm.eeEnglish
        0·
        6 months ago

        My father-in-law is a defense attorney for juveniles, he always said that the best thing to say is " I understand you guys are just doing your jobs, and I really would like to cooperate, but to do so I need a lawyer present".

        Otherwise they can basically classify you as a combative witness, or claim that you are interfering with an ongoing investigation.

        By saying that you really want to help, it puts the imperative of wasting time on their end. If you guys need the information that bad, you should be rushing to get some representation here as fast as possible.

    • something_random_tho@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      6 months ago

      “Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law,”

      Used AGAINST you, not FOR you. No attorney has ever said, “I’m so glad my client spoke to the police.”

      Never speak to the cops without an attorney.