Escobedo v. Illinois
5-4 vote, June 22, 1964
Escobedo was arrested in connection with a murder and brought to the
police station. He repeatedly asked to see his lawyer, but was never
allowed out of the interrogation room. His lawyer even went so far as
to come to the police station in search of him, but was denied
access. Escobedo then confessed while under interrogation to firing
the shot that killed the victim. As a result, he was soon convicted.
Escobedo appealed to the
Supreme Court and it overturned the conviction. The Court extended
the "exclusionary rule" to illegal confessions and ruled that Escobedo's
confession should not have been allowed in as evidence. The Court also
defined the "Escobedo Rule" which holds that individuals have the right
to an attorney when an "investigation is
no longer a general inquiry...but has begun to focus on a particular
suspect..." The ruling went on to detail that (Where) the suspect has been taken into custody...the suspect has requested...his lawyer, and the police have not...warned him of his right to remain silent, the accused has been denied...counsel in violation of the Sixth Amendment."
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