Which case established the requirement that police inform suspects of rights prior to custodial interrogation?

Which case established the requirement that police inform suspects of rights prior to custodial interrogation?

• A. Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
• B. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
• C. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
• D. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Answer: (A)

When a person is in custody and being interrogated, there must be safeguards so the person isn’t coerced into speaking against themselves. This requirement was established by Miranda v. Arizona, which held that the police must give suspects a set of warnings before questioning and obtain a voluntary waiver of those rights. The warnings include the right to remain silent, that anything said can be used against you, and the right to consult with an attorney and have one present during questioning (with a lawyer provided if you cannot afford one). If the suspect waves these rights, questioning can proceed; if not, the interrogation must stop. The other cases address different issues—Gideon v. Wainwright concerns the right to counsel at trial, Brown v. Board of Education concerns desegregation, and Plessy v. Ferguson concerns segregation—so they don’t establish the duty to inform suspects of rights before custodial interrogation.

When a person is in custody and being interrogated, there must be safeguards so the person isn’t coerced into speaking against themselves. This requirement was established by Miranda v. Arizona, which held that the police must give suspects a set of warnings before questioning and obtain a voluntary waiver of those rights. The warnings include the right to remain silent, that anything said can be used against you, and the right to consult with an attorney and have one present during questioning (with a lawyer provided if you cannot afford one). If the suspect waves these rights, questioning can proceed; if not, the interrogation must stop. The other cases address different issues—Gideon v. Wainwright concerns the right to counsel at trial, Brown v. Board of Education concerns desegregation, and Plessy v. Ferguson concerns segregation—so they don’t establish the duty to inform suspects of rights before custodial interrogation.