Page 42 - Deception at work all chapters EBook

Signs of Deception 83

– threatening witnesses,
– creating false evidence and alibis.
• Complaining:
– about alleged unfair treatment,
– about infringement of his human or other rights.

Attacks – especially at the start of an interview, or during it, when they are unjustified in the
circumstances – are usually contrived to deflect you off course.

An attack may also come at any point when the suspect believes the balance falls in his

NOW WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?

In a very high-profile British murder case, an would be conducted. Without warning, the
experienced detective began to interview suspect leapt from his chair head-butted the
a 15-year-old suspect in the presence of his detective (breaking his nose) and said, ‘Now
lawyer. The detective opened the interview what do you have to say about that?’
politely and explained to the suspect how it

favour and can be encouraged by your lack of confidence or determination. Thus, it is criti-
cal that you remain in control of every important interview, because if you fail to do so you
increase the chances of an attack. The good news is that the subject who launches an attack
and fails is extremely vulnerable, and thus you should look upon anger as a step towards
reaching deep truth.

Strong objects cannot be shaped without the application of heat

Convincing of the truth

The liar will try to convince you of his innocence, but if the right questions are asked, this is a
dangerous course, requiring him to falsify information and to tell barefaced lies. More often
the liar will give the impression of truthfully answering questions but, in doing so, he leaves
abundant clues. These are analysed later.

EXCULPATORY LIES: TO ESCAPE

Objectives

If the liar believes he cannot stop the investigation – through an attack or convincing you
of his innocence or appeasement – he must either make sure that he does not make the case
against himself any worse, or try to cloud the issues sufficiently to prevent any action being
taken against him. Again, he is unlikely to have planned his endgame.

Avoid making admissions

The liar may avoid making admissions in a number of ways, including not appearing for
the interview at all, refusing to answer questions, evasion, feigned anger or sickness, alleged
memory failures plus a host of other tactics described later in this chapter. By deciding to
answer questions the suspect consciously enters into a battle of wits that he believes he can
win and, unless you can take him by surprise through your own cunning plan, his prepared
responses may prevail.