You have the right to remain silent...

Jason Young retained a lawyer the day he found out his wife was murdered. Although it is his right not speak to law enforcement it does beg the question. Why? Many argued it gives the appearance he has something to hide. While the concept of the right to remain silent was debated fiercely on the board a few friends did try to explain why.

Posted by concerned in ral: I too have friends that know Jason well. And from what I am hearing from them being questioned, is that he is a suspect, and it seems like they are digging for dirt. I don't know if this is just the LE's tactic to gain more information. But they are certainly not painting a pretty picture of him during questioning. Either they are building a case to break down his credibility or they are just using slurr tactics to see if anyone has information they will come forward with. I too know Jason, not very well, but enough to give a high five and "what's up" to when I see him. And I have a very hard time believing this is something he could do. Having said that, I think the reason that people who know him or are friends with him have a hard time believing it could be him is b/c its kind of scary and disheartening to think someone you know and that is a lot like you and your friends could be capable of something like this. I know this, everyone that's like me that doesn't know this guy, thinks he is guilty. Whatever that means.

Posted by just the facts: No lawyer was obtained for Jason until friends questioned by the police said the police were asking accusatory questions. The police made their intentions to treat him like a suspect from the beginning very clear during their interviews with his friends. That was brought to the attention of family members who recommended he get a lawyer. His step father was misquoted and no lawyer was obtained when he was at his mother's house.

Posted by Tennisbuff: And JY didn't lawyer up as quickly as some people think. He spoke to LE on the phone after he found out, then he and his family drove to Raleigh. Once there, he answered a few questions, until he saw that the questions were accusatory and he could see where that was going. At that time, he refused to answer further questions. So yes, it was soon after the murder, but it wasn't on his mother's front lawn.JMO

Posted by gojo: Let's say you're in the car with JY and his family on that fateful Friday as they travel to Raleigh. JY knows Michelle is dead, and he can barely talk through his tears. He really is choked up. Think now of the heartbreak his mother is going through, trying to comfort JY.

Finally, though, Ms. Young calls the Raleigh police to tell them they are on the road to Raleigh. Everybody in the car is willing to cooperate to help find out what happened to Michelle.

BUT....what JY's MOTHER hears on the phone is, "Is Jason with you?""Yes, he is, but he can't talk right now.""Well, he'd better be with you."Whoa! No condolences, no sympathy, just "He'd better be with you!" Now, if you are in that car, what is your first reaction? I think Ms. Young's reaction probably was, "I think they're ready to hang my son."

This has gotten too long. I'll finish it later.

Posted by gojo: Now, when Jason and his family arrive in Raleigh, they go to Meredith’s house, because that is where Cassie is being kept.Two of Jason’s friends, both of whom have already been talked to by LE, immediately tell Jason that he needs a lawyer, and even tell him which lawyer to call. Evidently they had a bad experience with LE.

Jason goes into the house to be with Cassie. Immediately afterward a swarm of police cars swoop down on the driveway, bubblegum lights flashing, lighting up the neighborhood. Jason’s mother and other family members are in the process of taking their suitcases out of the car when a policeman orders them to stop.

“What do you think you’re doing?” This to a mother and grandmother.

“We’re going to a motel to spend the night. We need our suitcases.”

“You’re not going anywhere with those suitcases.”

“Well, can I get my blood pressure medicine and wallet out of the car?”“No, you can’t. We’re going to search everything in this car. You will eventually get it all back.”

And so forth. Believe me, it really did happen like this. Not only was Jason treated like a criminal from the very beginning, but the rest of his family were treated like conspirators! Eventually Mrs. Young was permitted to retrieve her medicine, but her pocketbook, money, I.D. were not returned until the next day. If I had been there (I got this second hand from someone who was there) I reckon I would have been arrested for assaulting a police officer for the way Mrs. Young was treated.

Now, Jason knows this is happening outside, but he stays in the house with Cassie and his friends. At this point, do you think you would have second or third thoughts about talking with any of the LE people?

When Jason does talk with his lawyer, he is told directly to say nothing to anyone (not even his family) about any aspect of this brutal murder.

So, what would you have done?

Posted by dkjack: I understand your argument, and it does sorta make sense to me.....so long as I am not the one being accused of murdering my wife. Obviously we have different outlooks on life. Look, maybe the cops made an initial mistake with Jason. Maybe their insulting attitude told Jason he was their only suspect. Who knows? I have heard that when the cops interviewed Jason's sister their attitude was so insulting she ran them off and told them never to come back. Maybe I have too much pride. But when someone blatantly insults me, I don't feel very cooperative. BUT, if I knew something that would point the cops to the killer, I would certainly share that, maybe through my lawyer. I believe Jason would, too. Do you?

Posted by dkjack: Wish I could, but as you can tell by my nic, I don't know much. What I have heard is that the cops came on to the friends really hard, like, "Do you know why Jason killed his wife," "Do you have any information about how Jason treated his wife," etc. Evidently it was aggressive enough that at least one friend called Jason as he was on his way to Raleigh and advised him to get a lawyer, and, the way I hear it, even helped with that task. I would guess Jason's decision to use his constitutional rights started about here. I've wondered how the cops got to the friends so quickly, but then figured MF gave them a list. These interviews were not at the scene, and Jason did not call his friends....they called him, from what I have heard.