For nearly fifty years police have been reading suspects their rights because of a landmark 1966 United States Supreme Court case, Miranda v. Arizona. The Fifth Amendment requires that law enforcement officials advise suspects of their Constitutional right to remain silent and to obtain an attorney during interrogations while in police custody. This protects the individual from self incrimination and if they were to speak it would be on their own free will. The United States Supreme Court has changed the way police conduct their duties to this day, while protecting an individual’s rights. Ernesto Miranda was convicted of his first crime while in eighth grade. When convicted of his crime in 1954, a felony burglary, he was sentenced to probation. …show more content…
She gave police a description that fit Miranda. Ernesto Miranda was arrested at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, on charges of kidnapping and rape. After two hours of questioning by police, he signed a full written confession which stated:
“I….. Do hereby swear that I make this statement voluntarily and of my own free will, with no threats, coercion, or promises of immunity, and with full knowledge of my legal rights, understanding any statement I make may be used against me”.
The 18-year old woman selected Miranda from a police lineup. She explains that Miranda forced her into his car and drove into the desert. He raped her and later dropped her off near her home. He claimed that his confession was invalid because it was coerced and because the police never advised him of his right to an attorney or his right to avoid self-incrimination. The court overturned Miranda’s conviction, holding that the police must inform criminal suspects of their legal rights at the time of arrest and may not interrogate suspects who invoke their
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The warning does not have to be given at the moment of arrest but only after a person is in custody and before any questioning about the suspected crime. Since 1966, the Court has decided dozens of other cases under Miranda, and they have cut back on Miranda. The most important cutback was a very early decision that the police could use a statement taken without the Miranda warnings to cross-examine a defendant if the defendant took the stand. Interrogations conducted by law enforcement are a valuable tool to obtain confessions to crimes. Even after hearing the Miranda warning, the majority of suspects still agree to talk to police officers. Perhaps they feel guilty over the committed crime, or they are hoping for a more lenient punishment. It is also possible that some don't thoroughly understand their rights, and thus talk