June 13, 1966: A Supreme Court ruling creates the Miranda rights

Friday 13 June 2008

On June 13, 1966, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Miranda v. Arizona, deciding that a criminal suspect must be informed of his or her right to consult with an attorney and of his or her right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police. Ernesto Miranda was arrested in 1963 for rape and later confessed to robbery and attempted rape after police interrogation. During the trial, prosecutors offered his confession as the only evidence in the case, resulting in Miranda’s conviction and sentencing of 20–30 years in prison. An appeal to the Supreme Court led Miranda’s conviction to be overturned after the ruling was made that because of to the coercive nature of custodial interrogation by police, no confession could be admissible.