The Miranda warning was born from a Supreme Court ruling
On this day · 13 June 1966
On June 13, 1966, the Supreme Court ruled that suspects must be told of their rights before questioning, creating the Miranda warning.
Ernesto Miranda was arrested in Phoenix in 1963 and questioned about a kidnapping and rape. After two hours, he signed a confession. No one had told him he could stay silent or speak with a lawyer.
On June 13, 1966, in a narrow 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court threw out his confession. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Earl Warren held that the Fifth Amendment’s protection against self-incrimination demands that suspects in custody be clearly warned of their rights before any questioning.
Those warnings are now woven into American life: the right to remain silent, that anything said can be used in court, the right to an attorney, and to have one appointed if a suspect cannot afford it.
Police forces printed the words on cards so officers could read them aloud, word for word.
Miranda himself was retried without the confession and convicted again on other evidence.
Sources & references
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