Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
How Innocent Conversations Turn Into Criminal Cases in Chicago
In Chicago, some of the most damaging criminal cases don’t begin with an arrest. They begin with a conversation. A detective calls and says they want to ask a few questions. An officer stops by your home and says they are “just gathering information.” A federal agent tells you that you are “not a suspect” and that they are only trying to understand what happened. Those words are often carefully chosen, and they are rarely said for your benefit.
As a Chicago criminal defense lawyer, I’ve seen this pattern repeat itself for decades. People who genuinely believe they have nothing to hide agree to talk. They assume honesty will protect them. Instead, their statements become the foundation of a criminal charge weeks or even months later. By the time they call a lawyer, the damage is already done.
