Talk to Remain Silent
By: Angie Koehle
Updated: June 3, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. - You may have the right to remain silent, but if you want to, you have to say so. In a 5-4 decision this week, the Supreme Court ruled that in order for someone to invoke the Miranda right while being questioned by police, they have to tell the police they aren't going to talk. The ruling comes after a Michigan case in which police got a confession from a suspect after 3 hours of questioning, though the man said little else in that time. One of the dissenters, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, said it opens the door to police abuse of power. She also said it contradicts the right to remain silent by making the person speak.
