When people are arrested, one thing that they sometimes do is attempt to explain themselves to the police. They think that if they can just explain their actions or provide their reasoning, the police will understand the situation better and let them go without arresting them. In essence, they are trying to plead their case to the arresting officer, rather than in court.
But this can be very problematic because you may accidentally say something that would incriminate yourself or that could be used against you in court. It is often better not to talk to the police at all, even when you think that what you have to say may help. During the arrest is not the time to convince an officer of your innocence.
Your legal rights
To help protect you from incriminating yourself, even accidentally, you do have a right to remain silent. The police may encourage you to talk by asking questions and trying to get you to make statements about the alleged criminal activity, which they can use during your trial. But you can simply use your right to remain silent and avoid answering these questions.
Another legal right you have is that to an attorney. There may be a time when it does make sense to talk to the authorities and answer questions. But you can still tell them that you do not feel comfortable doing so until your attorney is present.
If you are facing arrest, it is very important to understand what rights you have, how the process works and all of the legal steps you can take while building your defense.