Does invoking the right to silence carry with it significant risk?

[Angelo222]

There can only be one reason why the parent of a missing child won't answer the simplest of police questions.

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[Mr Gray]

There can only be one reason why the parent of a missing child won't answer the simplest of police questions.

couldn't disagree more

[Alfred R Jones]

There can only be one reason why the parent of a missing child won't answer the simplest of police questions.

What reason is that Angelo?  Do tell.

[Angelo222]

What reason is that Angelo?  Do tell.

I thought that after all this time you would be intelligent enough to have worked that all out on your lonesome?

But in any event I will tell you.   The parents of a missing child (generalisation here) will refuse to cooperate with police when they have something to hide.

[Lace]

There can only be one reason why the parent of a missing child won't answer the simplest of police questions.

I believe most of them had been answered before Angelo,   but it was her lawyer who guided Kate so it was the lawyers advice she took.

[Angelo222]

I cannot make it any clearer.   It is a generalisation that someone with something to hide who is being confronted by police investigating a crime will attempt to deflect their responses as they make things up.   "No comment" is the classic response which will invoke further interest by detectives.  Crooked lawyers aside.

[Carana]

I cannot make it any clearer.   It is a generalisation that someone with something to hide who is being confronted by police investigating a crime will attempt to deflect their responses as they make things up.   "No comment" is the classic response which will invoke further interest by detectives.  Crooked lawyers aside.

Ok. So your comment was a GENERALISATION.

Thanks for that qualification. But what was that assumption based on?

[Angelo222]

Ok. So your comment was a GENERALISATION.

Thanks for that qualification. But what that assumption based on?

It wasn't an assumption it is a known fact.  Could I be so humble as to suggest you consult a good guide to criminology, as I'm sure it would explain it so much better.

[Mr Gray]

It wasn't an assumption it is a known fact.  Could I be so humble as to suggest you consult a good guide to criminology, I'm sure it would explain it so much better.

...there is another reason why a  suspect may reply no comment...that is if they feel the police are trying to fit them up...Colin Stagg answered no comment for this reason and was eventually cleared and paid compensation

[Carana]

It wasn't an assumption it is a known fact.  Could I be so humble as to suggest you consult a good guide to criminology, as I'm sure it would explain it so much better.

Which one would you suggest?

And how would one provide any illumination on a particular case?

[Angelo222]

There will always be exceptions as the Stagg case so eloquently referred to by Dave portrays.  As a generalization however suspects with something to hide do behave differently to suspects who are wholly innocent of any wrongdoing.

In the McCann case there were other issues going on in the background such as the lack of supervision of three young children left on their own for hours on end.  No doubt the threat of some untold consequences in this alone was sufficient to colour their responses.

Try and stay on topic Dave.

[Mr Gray]

There will always be exceptions as the Stagg case so eloquently referred to by Dave portrays.  As a generalization however suspects with something to hide do behave differently to suspects who are wholly innocent of any wrongdoing.

In the McCann case there were other issues going on in the background such as the lack of supervision of three young children left on their own for hours on end.  No doubt the threat of some untold consequences in this alone was sufficient to colour their responses.

Try and stay on topic Dave.

..at least now you have conceded that an innocent person may reply no comment and it cannot be taken to indicate guilt

[Carana]

It wasn't an assumption it is a known fact.  Could I be so humble as to suggest you consult a good guide to criminology, as I'm sure it would explain it so much better.

What is a known fact?

[Alfred R Jones]

I cannot make it any clearer.   It is a generalisation that someone with something to hide who is being confronted by police investigating a crime will attempt to deflect their responses as they make things up.   "No comment" is the classic response which will invoke further interest by detectives.  Crooked lawyers aside.

You believe that there is only ONE reason why someone would choose not to answer police questions.  Let's now apply this to the case in hand and forget about generalisations, shall we? 

Why do you think Kate didn't answer the questions put to her by the police?  You've already stated that there is only ONE reason, so what can one infer from this pronouncement of yours when applied to this case...?

[Angelo222]

You believe that there is only ONE reason why someone would choose not to answer police questions.  Let's now apply this to the case in hand and forget about generalisations, shall we? 

Why do you think Kate didn't answer the questions put to her by the police?  You've already stated that there is only ONE reason, so what can one infer from this pronouncement of yours when applied to this case...?

According to Kates book she was following her lawyers advice.  Question is, why did her lawyer feel the need to give that advice if she was not involved in anything untoward?