Police must explain to an accused person the function of a prisoner's friend before the accused selects one, including that the friend acts in an advisory role, should speak the accused's language, should be trusted by the accused, should be independent of police, and that the accused may speak privately with the friend before interview. Failure to provide this minimum explanation may render the choice of prisoner's friend ineffective and could affect the voluntariness of any subsequent confession, though it will not necessarily do so where the accused's understanding of English and the right to silence is otherwise established.
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