Unlike you,I believe that the overwhelming majority of those charged with serious crimes are guilty.Not all of them but pretty close to that.
The very fact that you're pledging full cooperation and keeping that pledge would be noticed by the cops and the prosecutor.Volunteering to give the cops the biological samples they might want...volunteering to come down to headquarters whenever the cops want to talk...giving the cops full and unlimited access to your house,your office,your papers....not being nervous as you're being questioned would tend to make cops think you're not guilty.
And if you should be (wrongfully) charged,*then* you get the lawyer.
yes, but there is a flip side to that. if my child was kidnapped, and I knew I didn't do it, it would infuriate me that the first 48-72 hours of the investigation - would be focused on ME, and not having the police out there looking for my kid while there was still some chance of finding them alive.
Always get a lawyer first. Even if you're going to go the cooperation route, it's imperative that you have good legal advice as to the best way to do that.
I never said that most people who are accused of serious crimes aren't guilty. However, there's a significant minority out there who once they think you're the guy will hound you to the end, even if you're entirely innocent. In those situations, those who don't talk are the ones who will not be charged or if charged, will be found innocent. Once you're the focus of an investigation, they're going to be looking for ANY inconsistency in things you tell them and very few people have true photographic memories, so you're likely to make a non-error error. Knowing when you're really the focus of an investigation can be hard, so that's part of the reason why it's important to have an experienced lawyer who has been through hundreds of cases and can interpret police speak.