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Conducting Tough Interviews 233

Example : ‘Of course you do not have to say anything. If that is your firm decision you will have
to live with the consequences. But in fairness to you I am going to tell you what evidence we
have, how the investigation will move forward and what will happen. You know this will not
go away just because you say nothing.’

• Pull out your notebook.

Example : ‘I am going to tell you what evidence we have and I will ask for your feelings about
it. If you choose to sit there and say nothing, that’s up to you, but I will note down how you
react, including ‘no comment’ and your non-verbal reactions. Do you understand?’

• Ask questions starting with a piece of weak evidence or an unsubstantiated allegation,
which you know he can disprove.

• If he gives an explanation, compliment him, move on to another piece of weak evidence
and keep him talking.

Example : ‘You see how things can get cleared up when you are prepared to discuss them?
Let’s move on.’

Once people start talking it is difficult for them to stop

It is possible that the suspect will refuse to talk under either approach when incriminating
issues are raised. Again, everything depends on your persuasive powers, but don’t give up too
easily.

The dramatic approach

This approach should be considered only in extreme situations, but it sometimes works.

Example : ‘Of course you do not have to say anything, but I am going to ask the questions
anyway. And as you may know, 80% of human communication is though body language,
the way you move, swallow, blink, move your eyes, legs, arms, body, breathe, react etc. I
am going to tell you out loud how I interpret your reaction to each question and write down
what I observe. Do you understand that?’ Then you ask the first question and write down and
say out loud: ‘To that statement, Mr Smith swallowed hard, his eyes dilated and he began
to sweat’. Then continue: ‘Did you have access to the computer on the day in question?’
Again write down and announce what you have seen: ‘To that he moved his right leg, very
defensively, blinked and sweat appeared on his upper lip. He had a very sheepish look about
him.’

Suspects on which the above technique has been tested have begun to give oral answers
after the fifth or sixth question, but you should use the technique only as the last resort and
never in criminal cases, unless you want your ass severely kicked.