Miranda Rights Created
June 13, 1966
"You have the right to remain silent" — the phrase has become a common throughout pop culture. But it wasn’t until June 13, 1966, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in "Miranda v. Arizona," that a person’s rights — specifically protection from self-incrimination and the right to counsel — officially extended to Americans in police custody.
Three years earlier, Ernesto Miranda had been arrested by Phoenix police for a violent crime, and after two hours of interrogation, signed a confession despite never being told his rights. While the Arizona Supreme Court upheld Miranda’s guilty verdict, the U.S. Supreme Court disagreed, writing, "It is not admissible to do a great right by doing a little wrong."
The new ruling required police officers to read the famous Miranda Warning, word-for-word off printed cards, to any suspect being taken into custody for questioning. Although Miranda won his case, his subsequent retrial didn’t go as well. But after being paroled in 1972, Miranda basked in his newfound fame, autographing Miranda Warning cards for $1.50 each.
