Thanks for the information.

If she has NOT yet been charged with the crime and the detective wants her to come in to the station to make a STATEMENT or wants her to CONFESS to the crime, she must know the following:

1. She does NOT have to go in to the station unless there has been an arrest warrant issued. She can call the detective and tell him/her that she does not think that it is in her best interest to go in.

2. If she DOES go into the station, she needs to know the following:

A. She has a right to have an interpreter present at any questioning.

B. She has a RIGHT to remain silent. She does NOT have to make any statement or confess to any crime.

C. At any time during the questioning, she can invoke her RIGHT to have an attorney present.

D. She should be read her constitutional rights, be asked if she understood her rights and also initial each of the rights.

E. Again, she does NOT have to answer ANY questions and can end any "conversation" at any time.

She may wish to consider calling and asking to change her "appointment" with the detective for a few days. She may wish to do this so that she can contact an attorney who specializes in criminal law, as well as one who is fluent in Spanish. She can discuss the specific facts of her case, evaluate her options and decide how to proceed.

Many times, an attorney will get involved and speak to the detective regarding any "case" that may be started against her. If the attorney believes that it is in her best interest to speak to the detective, the attorney will go with her to the station. The attorney will tell her if she should or should not answer any question that the detective asks.

The attorney may also find out that she is going to being charged with a crime. If that is the case, the attorney may advise the police and your friend, that she will not be going into the station to make any statement. If the police think that they have enough to present to the prosecutor to get a warrant, then they should do so. That way, she will not make any statement that can, and will, be used against her.

In any case, she should contact an attorney before she goes to the police station. Below is a link to the California Bar Association Lawyer Referral Page. If she calls the telephone number (based on her county), she will be directed to someone in her area that speaks Spanish and specializes in criminal law.

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Public/LawyerReferralServicesLRS.aspx

I hope you find this information useful. If you have additional questions, please ask.

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