Have you heard the latest news on your Miranda Rights? The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled to protect law enforcement from the risk of a lawsuit due to failing to give a suspect their Miranda warning. This turn of events is a result of the Vega v. Tekoh case. Continue reading to find out how the events unfolded.
What Caused This Change
The Vega v. Tekoh case drove the Supreme Court to make a change. Sheriff’s deputy Carlos Vega obtained a confession from nurse assistant Terence Tekoh for the sexual assault of an immobile patient at his workplace. Tekoh claimed that he was forced to confess and that he was not given his Miranda warning prior to the confession. Tekoh was taken to trial, but the jury acquitted him there. He then turned around and sued Vega for a violation of his Fifth Amendment rights by not giving him his Miranda warning.
The Result
The U.S. Supreme Court decided to side with Vega. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his majority opinion that, “a violation of Miranda is not itself a violation of the Fifth Amendment, we see no justification for expanding Miranda to confer a right to sue.” Therefore, if an officer fails to provide a suspect with a Miranda warning, they cannot be taken to civil court for this alone. A criminal defense attorney can attempt to have their client’s self-incriminating statements suppressed.
If you find yourself in a situation regarding your Miranda Rights, please do not hesitate to contact us at 608.336.5445 so we can assist you with your legal matter.
