Back in the very early 1980s, when I founded Lethal Force Institute, I formulated a \u201cfive point checklist\u201d of things that need to be said to responding authorities at the scene after you have defended yourself or others with force, perhaps even deadly force. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the four decades since, that advice has worked remarkably well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Defense lawyers often tell you \u201cNever talk to the police.\u201d You have to understand where that advice comes from. In forty-plus years as an expert witness in homicide cases, including many years of teaching CLE (Continuing Legal Education) for practicing attorneys, and a couple of years as Co-Vice Chair of the Forensic Evidence Committee of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, I\u2019ve gone into this matter deeply with a helluva <\/em>lot of defense lawyers. Many of them have NEVER defended a truly innocent person who fired in self-defense. Those who have <\/em>done that sort of case generally agree with my advice, which is to establish a Five-Point Checklist of things right there at the shooting scene from the get-go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, the gun-related internet is full of people who have bought into the \u201cnever talk to the police\u201d narrative, and mis-interpret my advice as \u201cBabble as much as you want and answer every question you are asked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A couple of years ago, my friend John Correia hosted me and my colleague Marty Hayes<\/a> to do a Deadly Force Instructor class for John and his staff and some other attendees. While we were doing that in Phoenix, Arizona, John recorded the following video with me:<\/p>\n\n\n\n