Today in Supreme Court History: March 13, 1963

3/13/1963: Ernesto Miranda is arrested.

Comments

[Frank Drackman]

This one never gets old
So did Miranda say "Hey!!! You didn't read me my "Me" Rights!!!!"

[SMP0328]

Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U. S. 436 (1966) was greatly weakened by North Carolina v. Butler, 441 U.S. 369 (1979). Butler held that a waiver of Miranda Rights could be inferred simply by the arrestee voluntarily speaking to the police after they had Mirandized him. This seems to go against Miranda's requirement that, "No effective waiver of the right to counsel during interrogation can be recognized unless specifically made after the warnings ... have been given." Miranda at 470.

After Butler, all police have to do in an interrogation is get the arrestee to incriminate himself, even if he doesn't realize he waived his Miranda Rights in the process. A written express waiver is nice, but not necessary. This is why Miranda is usually not an issue for police.

[JoeFromtheBronx]

The famous "Miranda Warnings" case.

It attempts to give practical protections to criminal defendants. Some people will find it wrong-minded since it "artificially" provides rules "not in the Constitution."

Constitutional law regularly provides flesh to barebones text and principles, including structural concerns like federalism. Judges, over time, work these things out case by case.

The ultimate question here is the appropriate means to protect the constitutional rights involved. A warning can be a mere form, especially when various exceptions and opt-outs are found.

Other branches also have a special responsibility. For instance, requirements such as filming interrogations are helpful. The opinion provides a floor. Its principles are the ultimate concern.

Miranda was eventually prosecuted again, even after winning his case. Miranda’s life ended after he was stabbed during a fight in downtown Phoenix on January 31, 1976. At the time of his death, he was carrying several Miranda cards.

[JoeFromtheBronx]

Given the date, this case is also notable:

https://medium.com/the-haddonfield-post/https-medium-com-the-haddonfield-post-supreme-court-deadlocks-in-landmark-freddy-v-jason-case-90abd1d2df8e