Common Myths About The Legal System People Still Believe

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Via Flickr
Abeni Jones
February 20, 2020

Lie #1: You Can Always Film The Police

The Constitution protects you if you’re filming the police - but ONLY IF they’re doing their job in public, you aren’t “interfering” with them in any way, and in some states, you’re filming them openly, NOT secretly.

Lie #2: Cops Have to Read You Your “Miranda Rights”

This one is straight from TV, but it’s not true. Cops have to read you your rights before they interrogate you while you’re in custody - but not during an arrest.

Lie #3: Technology Will Protect You

All of this tech is supposed to be used to help protect the innocent, but that’s not what happens! Body Cams are unreliable and don’t help victims of police violence. Breathalyzers don’t work reliably, either. And Lie Detectors don’t actually get to the truth!

Lie #4: Only Guilty People Confess To Crimes

Countless INNOCENT people have “confessed” to crimes, usually under intense interrogation and coercion from law enforcement. Black people are most likely to be falsely convicted of a crime, and in many cases it was because of a false confession.

Lie #5: Eyewitnesses, DNA, and Fingerprints Are Reliable

So much of what our legal and justice system relies on are actually unreliable! Eyewitnesses, fingerprints, and even DNA aren’t guarantees of ANYTHING. 

Maybe that’s why so many crimes go unsolved and so many innocent Black people are behind bars!

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