Hi there,
Well, this is the situation that i am in. I have been accused of drugging and raping a girl that i was dating. Now, after i have given my statement, and she gave 2 statements, they are at a polygraph examiners office. I have agreed to take a polygraph, since i did not do it... but after reading what the polygraph measures... i am somewhat worried. I know some of the questions, and i know that i will get nervous. How can you not get nervous when you get asked "did you rape so and so". So.. now, i have to take the polygraph... so i can prove i am innocent... because i do not want charges to be laid. do you have any suggestions as to how i can keep my cool at all??
Thanks for your help.
Chris
Chris,
Despite your initial agreement to submit to a polygraph "test," you are not under any legal obligation to take it, and you would be wise to refuse the polygraph and get a lawyer.
Polygraph "testing" has no scientific basis, and as used by law enforcement in criminal investigations, it is frequently a mere pretext for getting a suspect to submit to an interrogation in the absence of legal counsel. For further information, see The Lie Behind the Lie Detector (http://antipolygraph.org/lie-behind-the-lie-detector.pdf) and the Department of Defense Polygraph Institute Interview & Interrogation handbook (http://antipolygraph.org/documents/dodpi-interrogation.pdf).