WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed split Tuesday on whether to require police to read prison inmates their Miranda rights when they question them about crimes unrelated to their incarceration.
The high court heard arguments from Michigan lawyers who want a federal appeals court decision overturned.
Randall Lee Fields was in prison on disorderly conduct charges. Guards took him from his cell to a room where he was questioned by police on a sexual assault. But the police never read him his Miranda rights, and after he was convicted federal judges threw it out.
Several justices questioned the impracticality of repeatedly reading prisoners their Miranda rights, while others argued being incarcerated has a coercive effect and police should err on the side of giving Miranda rights.
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