American Government Supreme Court case

1. Miranda v. Arizona
Joy Taylor
2nd black
3/24/16

2. Background
The Supreme Court’s decision in Miranda v.
Arizona addressed four different cases involving
custodial interrogations.
1. Mr. Miranda was interrogated by two police
officers for several hours. They did not state his
rights. At the end of the interrogation Mr.
Miranda signed a statement confessing his
crimes and also signed that he was aware of his
rights.

3. Background
The second Defendant, Michael Vignera was
arrested for robbery. Mr. Vignera orally admitted
to the robbery to the first officer after the arrest,
and he was held in detention for eight hours
before he made an admission to an assistant
district attorney. There was no evidence that he
was notified of his Fifth Amendment
constitutional rights.

4. Background
The third Defendant, Carl Calvin Westover, was
arrested for two robberies. Mr. Westover was
questioned over fourteen hours by local police,
and then was handed to Federal Bureau of
Investigation (“FBI”) agents, who were able to get
signed confessions from Mr. Westover. The
authorities did not notify Mr. Westover of his Fifth
Amendment constitutional rights.

5. Background
The fourth Defendant, Roy Allen Stewart was
arrested, along with members of his family
(although there was no evidence of any
wrongdoing by his family) for a series of purse
snatches. There was no evidence that Mr.
Stewart was notified of his rights. After nine
interrogations, Mr. Stewart admitted to the
crimes.

6. Decision
The supreme Court riled 5-4 in favor of Mr.
Miranda.

7. Significance
This decision gave rise to what has become
known as the Miranda Warning. While
jurisdictions have their own regulations as to the
precise warning given to a person interrogated in
police custody, the typical warning states.