> Sure the person might have to wait an obscenely long time before the lawyer shows up but they still are given the out This is not to challenge anything you s

> Sure the person might have to wait an obscenely long time before the lawyer shows up but they still are given the out This is not to challenge anything you said, but you have two rights here: the first is to have a lawyer present while you are being questioned, the second (and more important right) is the right to remain silent. Talking to a lawyer is obviously a good idea if you are in any sort of legal predicament. Even if you were not arrested or charged, but have certain legal obligations or are considering signing a binding contract etc. But when it comes to police "interviewing" you, you don't even have to go as far as to ask for a lawyer. You can simply leave it at "I don't want to talk to you." Even THEN you don't have to go that far. You can literally communicate absolutely nothing. Catatonic non-responsiveness is not a crime. This applies whether or not you are under arrest or being detained. You can always refuse to speak. That is your constitutionally protected right.