[Wissa]

But many innocent people have been convicted by unwittingly getting tripped up during a police interview.

Haven't you ever watched Columbo? The TV show with the kindly looking disheveled man in the raincoat? He looks like a man you can trust, right? He looks rather harmless does he not? But the man is a shark! He is going to disarm you with his casual, friendly demeanor and lay his traps.

Are you saying Columbo railroaded innocent people? I don't think so.

I think you have him confused with Hamilton Burger. I don't think that guy EVER prosecuted anybody that wasn't innocent.

[SamAdams76]

TV is one thing but in real life, you should always obtain legal representation before speaking to the police. It is true that police generally don't intentionally try to railroad innocent people but innocent people can unwittingly implicate themselves in a crime by trying to be helpful.

For example, you might be questioned by police on the shooting of a co-worker you went out for drinks with the night before. You might say something like "I never really liked the guy and not many people did, so I'm not surprised somebody tried to do him in."

BANG! The cops now have MOTIVE (you didn't like the guy) and OPPORTUNITY (you were with him the night of the shooting).

[wally_bert]

Berger wasn’t a power mad district attorney.