The Supreme Court Decision Detail the Principles Governing Police Interrogation: The Miranda Rights

For example, in the case of Fellers v. United States, which closed on January 26, 2004, police officers went to the home of John Fellers to arrest him for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy. When they arrived at his home, they told Fellers that they wanted to speak with him about his involvement in the conspiracy and his interaction with other people also thought to be involved. The police officers did not read Fellers his Miranda rights, nor did they ask him any specific questions, but during the conversation, Fellers told them that he had been associated with the named people and that he had used drugs. The officers took Fellers to jail, where they advised him of his Miranda rights. Fellers then repeated the previous statements he had made at his home indicating his involvement in conspiracy. During the trial, Fellers argued that the statements made at his home could not be used because he had not been read his Miranda Rights and because he had not been given access to an attorney. He also argued that the statements made at the jail should be dismissed because they were the direct result of the confession made at his home, without being advised of his Miranda Rights.…