Yes you can. Everything you tell a criminal defense attorney made for the purpose of obtaining legal services or for the purpose of furthering the attorney’s representation falls within the attorney/client privilege. The attorney/client privilege exists even during an initial consultation where the client chooses not to retain the lawyer. The communications between a lawyer and his client are privileged to permit the lawyer to prepare for litigation and render effective legal advice. This is why it is so important for the client to realize that total disclosure is critical to effective legal representation. Full disclosure prevents your criminal defense attorney from guiding you in the wrong direction. You should also be aware that a lawyer’s obligation to maintain your confidences is even broader than the attorney-client privilege. Every lawyer must act in the best interest of his/her client. Only under a very narrow set of circumstances can that responsibility be abandoned.