3. Editorial: A Weakened Miranda Rule

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In The New York Times editorial "A Weakened Miranda Rule", the author bring to our attention the ruling of Howes v. Fields on February 21, 2012. This case involved a sheriff interrogation that did not notify Fields of his rights to decline the interrogation. Although Fields was told before hand his right to go back to his cell at any time, the author suggests this would have been uncomfortable to do in a police stressed situation. The result? Something that Fields said led to his sentence of 10 to 15 years of prison.

Miranda rights were established after the Miranda v. Arizona trial in 1966 to protect a person's Fifth Amendment right to refuse answering self-incriminating questions. A crucial part of Miranda rights to understand is that before an arrest the protections terms do not apply, and the voluntary answers to questions can be admissible in court. However, in Fields' case, he was already under arrest and not read his Miranda rights. Therefore, all statements can be used against him in court.

The author seems well informed about the rules established by Miranda rights and the Howes v. Fields case. He or she intends to spread awareness of this injustice to anyone who is concerned about their rights being curtailed. The arguments made sway towards the author trying to convince the readers that the police dominated atmosphere did lead to Fields' unprotected statements. The author believes that the Supreme Court's decision not only effected the fate of Fields, but also the police's definition of custody that may avoid the true principle implemented by Miranda rights.

I agree with the author's straightforward opinion that the Howes v. Fields case deeply damaged our Miranda rights to a certain extent. Although this trial may not have hit home for many American citizens not involved with court, the right to remain silent is a privilege we should be informed and aware of. The author's opinions about the results sounded a bit extreme perhaps for persuasive purposes. On the other hand, would this slip of not being told the Miranda rights have expedited the case to the truth by putting some pressure on Fields in the interrogation room? Maybe a continuous "pleading the fifth" has hindered the results of court cases. All in all, I do believe that not telling a suspect his or her rights is an injustice and Miranda rules should not be slurred to accommodate a Supreme Court decision.