Warren Court Decisions: Miranda v Arizona Case (1966)
The plaintiff in this case was the Esterno Miranda who was convicted by the State of Arizona for 30 years of jail for the kidnap and rape of a young woman.
The State of Arizona, which has not respected the requirements of the Fifth Amendment in the case against Miranda, was a defendant in the Supreme Court case.
The case Miranda v Arizona took place in 1966 and it originated as the result of conviction of Ernesto Miranda for the rape and kidnap of a young woman. Miranda was a previously convicted and well known to the police individual. After the initial interrogation, Miranda signed the confession admitting his guilt. The suspect had no legal representation and he was not warned of his right to counsel and to remain silent. He also was not informed that his statements would be used against him in court.
As the result, the Supreme Court ruled that no confessions written or oral may be admitted under the Fifth Amendment (the clause of self-incrimination) and the Sixth Amendment (the right to attorney) in cases when the suspect was not precisely informed of such rights. The Supreme Court clarified in its decision that:
If the individual indicates in any manner, at any time prior to or during questioning, that he wishes to remain silent, the interrogation must cease... If the individual states that he wants an attorney, the interrogation must cease until an attorney is present…
The Miranda v Arizona case enforced the rule of informing the suspects of their rights. This rule until today is known as the Miranda warning. The police had to become more aware of the interrogation techniques they used. The rule protected a suspect against some abusive behaviour on behalf of law enforcement bodies.
The warning was also criticized and challenged on many occasions and it was even viewed sometimes as unfair. It became more difficult for police to solve cases..
Works cited:
Handcuffing the Cops: Miranda's Harmful Effects on Law Enforcement. Retrieved from: http://www.ncpa.org/pub/st218
Miranda v. Arizona. Retrieved from: …
