The Police Are Not Your Friends - Episode 6

This week on Both Sides of the Bench, former prosecutor turned criminal defense attorney Shaun Yurtkuran pulls the curtain back on how criminal cases are really built and why “being cooperative” with police can sometimes make your situation dramatically worse. Hour One focuses on one of the biggest misconceptions people have about the justice system: police are not your personal investigators, therapists, or defense team. Shaun breaks down how traffic stops, interrogations, Miranda rights, and simple roadside conversations often become the foundation of criminal prosecutions. Hour Two dives into how people accidentally build cases against themselves through panic, social media, jail calls, talking to witnesses, deleting evidence, and trying to “clear things up.” Shaun also walks listeners step-by-step through what actually happens during a first-offense DUI in Mississippi, from the initial traffic stop all the way through plea negotiations or trial. If you’ve ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes in criminal investigations, this is the episode you do not want to miss.