"We already have your fingerprints." "Your friend told us everything." "If you just explain, this goes away." Every one of those statements can be false, and every one of them is legal for an officer to say. Former prosecutor Brian Foley explains how to handle it in this short video.
Deception is a lawful interrogation tactic
The U.S. Supreme Court held decades ago that police may use trickery and deception during questioning, and Texas courts follow that rule. Officers are trained to present false evidence, minimize the seriousness of the offense, and suggest that talking is the only way out. None of it makes a resulting statement inadmissible unless the deception rises to the level of overbearing your will.
Why correcting them is a trap
When an officer says something false, the instinct is to set the record straight — "That's not true, I wasn't even there until ten." That sentence just placed you at the scene at ten. Arguing supplies details, contradictions, and admissions; it never ends an investigation. Officers are not looking for the truth in that moment; they are looking for a statement.
The right response
Be polite. Do not lie — lying to police can be its own offense and destroys your credibility later. Do not explain. Say the two sentences that actually protect you: "I am not going to answer questions. I want a lawyer." Then stop talking, no matter what the officer says next. Invoking the right to counsel must be clear and unambiguous, and once it is, questioning has to stop.
As a former Galveston County Felony Chief, Brian Foley sat on the other side of that table. The cases that were hardest to prosecute were the ones where the accused said nothing at all. Call or text (409) 877-4909 for a free consultation.