Miranda v. Arizona

Police Must Inform Suspects of Their Rights
Ernesto Miranda's mugshot

Era:

ERA 9: Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970's)

Keywords:

Supreme Court 5th Amendment

Date Created:

Place Created: Pheonix, Arizona

Year Created: 1966

Description: Ernesto Miranda was arrested after an alleged assault. When questioned, the police failed to inform him of his 5th and 6th Amendment rights. He confessed to the crime, however, his attorney later argued that his confession should not have been used at his trial.

Categories of Documents:

Text of Document:

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed, deciding that the police had not taken proper steps to inform Miranda of his constitutional rights.

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the Fifth Amendment requires police officers to warn individuals that they have certain rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to have an attorney present during questioning.

Citation: "Miranda v. Arizona." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1965/759. Accessed [Feb 5, 2025].