Legal Expert Warns Against Police Interrogations, Citing "One-Player Game" Dynamic

A prominent lawyer, Ian Huyett, recently issued a stark warning on social media regarding the perils of voluntarily participating in police interrogations, likening the process to a "one-player game" where the suspect is unknowingly positioned against law enforcement. Huyett, a litigator with a focus on constitutional issues, shared insights from a client's experience, emphasizing the common misconception that innocence alone will suffice during questioning.

"I got a call from a criminal defendant I believe is innocent. Before calling me, he voluntarily participated in a police interrogation for several hours. He believed that 'I have nothing to hide' and that he could explain to the police why they had the wrong guy," Huyett stated in his tweet. He highlighted how even "high-IQ people" mistakenly believe law enforcement operates collaboratively.

Huyett articulated that suspects perceive interrogations as a cooperative effort to uncover truth, but police view it as a strategic exercise to build a case. > "As the suspect, you believe you are playing a multiplayer, collaborative game. But the police aren't even playing a multiplayer game. They're playing a one-player game, like Tetris," he explained. In this analogy, the suspect's statements become "falling blocks" that police fit into an incriminating narrative.

The core of the issue, according to Huyett, is the fundamental difference in objectives. Suspects aim to prove innocence, while police are focused on gathering evidence for prosecution. > "You believe that, once you convince the police that you are innocent, you will all win. But that's not a real outcome of the game. 'Evidence that I am innocent' is not even a game element," he noted. The longer an interrogation lasts, the more "blocks" police collect, regardless of the suspect's intent.

Legal experts consistently advise individuals to exercise their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and their Sixth Amendment right to counsel when questioned by police. The Miranda warning, a standard procedure in the United States, informs individuals of these rights: the right to remain silent, and the right to an attorney. Any statements made can be used against them.

Huyett offered a clear solution: > "The moment you have any reason to believe you're a suspect, exit the game. Politely ask if you are free to leave. If they say 'no,' calmly tell them 'I invoke my right to remain silent and my right to counsel.'" This invocation, he concluded, is often a "magic incantation" that prompts officers to cease questioning.