You Have the Right to…Tell the Police You Want to Remain Silent
The Supreme Court has decided to expand its limits on Miranda rights for criminal suspects. A suspect who goes ahead and talks to police after being informed he does not have to has waived his right to remain silent. In order to maintain the right to remain silent, a suspect must break his/her silence and tell police that he/she is going to remain quiet and to stop the interrogation, just like they must tell police that they want a lawyer. This decision will allow police officers the option to continue questioning a suspect in hope of breaking their silence and getting them to answer the officer’s questions. By stating that you want to remain silent or that you do not want to talk to police, you are invoking your right to cut off questioning and to remain silent. Ultimately, the Supreme Court has decided that in order to remain and to invoke your Miranda right to remain silent, you must open your mouth and make a statement to declare that you want to in fact remain silent. If you do not break your silence and make the necessary statement to the police, you are waiving your right to remain silent and any voluntary statements made to the police will be legally permissible evidence.
