When New Mexico police arrest someone on suspicion of a crime, it does not necessarily mean the person will wind up in jail. A lot happens in between the moment of arrest and the moment when the case in question has been fully adjudicated. Every person facing criminal charges is guaranteed an opportunity to refute those charges in court. A recent arrest involved a woman who is accused of setting a fire in an Islamic center.
The fire occurred in November, and a warrant was issued for the woman’s arrest on a recent Monday. Court records state that there was approximately $2,500 in damages to the building that caught fire. It has been alleged that there is surveillance footage showing a person spreading the contents of a burning trash can on the ground near the Islamic center.
There have been cases of mistaken identity in the past
It is one thing to say that film footage shows a person moving around near a building. It is quite another thing to accuse a specific person of being the person shown in the video. Such allegations must be proven in order to convict someone of a crime, which, in this particular case happens to be arson. There have been cases in the past where people have been arrested on suspicion of various crimes, only to have all charges dropped later on when it became clear that police had mistaken them for other people.
It is important to know one’s rights and how to protect them
A person who has been arrested in New Mexico on suspicion of arson or any other crime does not have to answer questions under interrogation with benefit of legal representation at the time. The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution enables a person to invoke his or her rights to remain silent in such situations. Most defendants request a meeting with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible after they have been arrested in order to explore whatever options may be available to help mitigate their circumstances.