Miranda Rights

Anytime a criminal is detained, he must be "mirandized," or have his Miranda rights read to him. We hear this phrase in every cop show. The ones that say things like "You have the right to an attorney," "You have the right to remain silent," etc. The assumption that they were named after someone named Miranda is not a big leap, but who is it?

When Ernesto Miranda was detained in 1963 on suspicion of kidnapping and rape, he was a 23-year-old immigrant from Mexico. After being recognized by his victim in a lineup, Miranda confessed to his crimes during questioning and even signed a written confession. He was then given a 20–30 year prison term. However, during his appeal, his defense attorneys contended that because Miranda was not aware of his privilege against self-incrimination, the confession should not have been allowed in court.

Although the Arizona Court upheld the original decision, the lawyers appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. The US Supreme Court sided with Miranda in 1966, ruling that a suspect must be informed of his rights and explicitly waive them before being interrogated by the police. The decision was made on a 5-4 vote. Miranda received a fresh trial and was found guilty this time around, but the Miranda rights have grown to be an essential component of the American legal system.