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

[Mr Gray]

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?

the answer is obvious but you won't accept it...why did Stagg refuse to answer questions

[Angelo222]

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

As far as Stagg is concerned, best ask him why he chose to go down that route.  No wonder the investigators thought he was guilty.  He certainly didn't do much to help himself in that situation.

[Alfred R Jones]

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?

Can you think of no reason at all?

[Angelo222]

Can you think of no reason at all?

She said her lawyer told her to keep stuush so who are we to argue with that.  The more important question is why did he counsel silence?

[Carana]

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?

Was this suggestion before or after his briefing / doggie video show by the PJ?

[Alfred R Jones]

She said her lawyer told her to keep stuush so who are we to argue with that.  The more important question is why did he counsel silence?

That was a question I was asking  - you can only think of one reason apparently...

[Mr Gray]

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

Can you tell us what that one reason is...or do you now not do accusations

[Brietta]

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?

They were made arguido\a to give them the legal right not to answer questions: which one of the forty eight questions on which Kate exercised that right, do you think may not already have been answered during the months before and in the previous very lengthy sessions when she was questioned as a witness: which of the forty eight questions would have cracked the case if answered on that particular occasion?

Hand on heart, Angelo, would you have been daft enough to ignore your lawyer's advice (as Gerry did) on your right to silence in a foreign jurisdiction under hostile questioning?

[Angelo222]

Thank you for splitting this subject off from the book thread admin.  Maybe now we can debate the right to silence in a sensible manner.

[Angelo222]

They were made arguido\a to give them the legal right not to answer questions: which one of the forty eight questions on which Kate exercised that right, do you think may not already have been answered during the months before and in the previous very lengthy sessions when she was questioned as a witness: which of the forty eight questions would have cracked the case if answered on that particular occasion?

Hand on heart, Angelo, would you have been daft enough to ignore your lawyer's advice (as Gerry did) on your right to silence in a foreign jurisdiction under hostile questioning?

The point is she is a supposedly intelligent woman in her own right (holiday misjudgements aside) yet you expect me to believe she couldn't answer 48 easy questions in case one of them somehow implicated her?

Personally, I don't buy it.

[Angelo222]

Can you tell us what that one reason is...or do you now not do accusations

Fear

[Admin]

Thank you for splitting this subject off from the book thread admin.  Maybe now we can debate the right to silence in a sensible manner.

On balance I decided to keep it since Alfred wanted to discuss the issue.  Please ensure posts adhere to the rules.

[Alfred R Jones]

The point is she is a supposedly intelligent woman in her own right (holiday misjudgements aside) yet you expect me to believe she couldn't answer 48 easy questions in case one of them somehow implicated her?

Personally, I don't buy it.

What's your explanation then?

[stephen25000]

Fear

Agreed.

Also not forgetting her husband answered questions and she was effectively told not to, in case they contradicted his.

Which  means her answers would have shown inconsistencies....

[Angelo222]

What's your explanation then?

Gerry had the same advice yet had no difficulty in answering but then as Stephen points out, Gerry was questioned first.  If the deal Kate talks about in her book was put to her before the 48 questions then that would distort her ability to answer.

I still say there is one one reason why suspects invoke their right to silence while being questioned under caution and that is fear.   

Fear of the unknown.
Fear of tripping themselves up.
Fear of dropping a clanger.
Fear of digging a bigger hole than they are already in.