Miranda v. Arizona

The Court held that police must warn custodial suspects of their rights to silence and counsel before interrogation.

Overview

Ernesto Miranda confessed to kidnapping and rape after two hours of police interrogation without being told of his rights. Chief Justice Warren, for a 5-4 majority, held that custodial interrogation is inherently coercive, and statements are inadmissible unless suspects are informed of the right to remain silent, that statements may be used against them, and of the right to counsel, appointed if needed. Miranda was retried without his confession and was convicted again. The warnings became a global cultural fixture, repeatedly upheld, narrowed, and debated, and they remain a core protection of the Fifth Amendment.