by Tina Seymour Demoran, LLC

Today, I met with the high school mock trial team I coach and we ran through possible topics for our opening and closing statements in the criminal case that is to be argued in 2020.

One statement from my students made me pause:

“Surely someone that smart couldn’t have made a stupid mistake like that.”

Well…

After several years of practicing criminal law, I could tell you some stories.

There’s a reason why there’s a series entitled “Dumb Crook News.”

There is no such thing as the perfect crime, my friends.

Mistakes will always be made…and the devil is in the details.

As I wrap up this series on criminal law, let me repeat a few things I have said over the last few weeks…

Just. Don’t. Commit. The. Crime. In. The. First. Place.

But…if you get arrested…invoke your right to silence and HUSH until your attorney arrives.

Hire an attorney right away.

You’re not perfect…and there is no such thing as a mistake-free crime.

Even the smartest people make mistakes.