What should you do if a suspect revokes a statement?

• A. Ignore the revocation and continue questioning.
• B. Stop questioning, re-read rights if applicable, document the revocation, and assess for voluntariness of any future statements.
• C. Destroy the revocation document.
• D. Conclude there is no value in the future statements.

Answer: (B)

When a suspect revokes a statement, you pause the interrogation and handle rights properly to protect the person’s voluntary participation and the admissibility of any future statements. Stop questioning immediately and, if applicable, re-read the rights to ensure the suspect understands them and is making a voluntary decision. Document the revocation carefully so there’s an official record of what was revoked and when. Then assess the possibility of any future statements by the suspect—if they choose to talk again, you must confirm they are willing to speak voluntarily and again re-administer rights as needed. This approach safeguards the suspect’s rights and helps ensure any later statements are admissible.