Topic: Miranda Rights

Can silence before an arrest be used at trial? Supreme Court refuses case.

The appeal had asked the Supreme Court to examine whether the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination bars a prosecutor's use of a defendant's pre-arrest silence as evidence of guilt.

Does defense bill's anti-terror provision deprive Americans of key rights?

The defense bill has cleared the Senate, and President Obama has withdrawn his veto threat, but concerns linger for some over whether a counterterrorism rider to the bill could deprive Americans of due process rights.

With guilty plea, underwear bomber cuts short intriguing terror trial

The trial of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the so-called underwear bomber, could have shed light on Anwar al-Awlaki and several potentially significant pretrial rulings. But he pleaded guilty.

US alleges Iranian plot to kill Saudi ambassador: How it unfolded.

In a case that reads like a spy novel, a US-Iranian citizen was charged Tuesday for allegedly plotting with an Iranian special operations officer to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US.

Underwear bomber trial: Will it shed light on American cleric killed in Yemen?

The trial of accused underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is set to begin Tuesday. Will testimony support Obama's contention that slain cleric Anwar al-Awlaki 'directed' the failed plot?

Appeals court's unusual ruling: Give Jose Padilla a tougher sentence

Convicted Al Qaeda supporter Jose Padilla, a US citizen once labeled an 'enemy combatant,' was given a 17-year sentence. In a rare ruling, a US appeals court called that too lenient.

Casey Anthony free, but in another kind of prison

Will Casey Anthony's notoriety over the death of her two-year-old daughter, Caylee, bring some measure of wealth and security, or will it, instead, condemn her to a different kind of prison?

Supreme Court: When police question children, their age matters

In the case of a 7th-grader who confessed to break-ins, the Supreme Court ruled that police need to consider a child's age when deciding when to issue Miranda warnings.

How ICC warrants could change NATO strikes in Libya

NATO airstrikes today hit two government buildings in Tripoli, including the Interior Ministry.

YouTube death threat against Rep. Eric Cantor nets two-year prison term

Norman LeBoon, the man who admitted to posting a death threat against Rep. Eric Cantor on YouTube, received a two-year prison sentence Thursday.

Supreme Court to hear Ashcroft appeal of US Muslim's detention

A lower court has allowed a suit by an American Muslim, detained without charge in 2003 as a material witness, to proceed against former Attorney General John Ashcroft. The Supreme Court says it will consider Ashcroft's appeal.

Miranda warning rights trimmed bit by bit by high court

Miranda warning rights have been turned 'upside down,' according to Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Elena Kagan shows off sense of humor in confirmation hearings

Elena Kagan is as guarded as any other Supreme Court nominee about her views on specific cases. But she is winning over senators anyway – by drawing giggles, laughs and even some outright guffaws from the lawmakers.

Faisal Shahzad calls Times Square bomb plot 'war,' pleads guilty

Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani-born US citizen accused of attempting to detonate a car bomb in New York's Times Square May 1, defiantly told a New York court he considered himself a 'Muslim soldier.'

Supreme Court relaxes Miranda rights

In a narrowly split decision, the Supreme Court's conservative majority expanded its limits on the famous Miranda rights for criminal suspects on Tuesday. Now, criminal suspects who want to remain silent must say so.

Miranda rights and alleged Times Square bomber: questions linger

Faisal Shahzad was read his Miranda rights on Tuesday, say US officials, who declined to say exactly when. The alleged Times Square bomber has continued talking to investigators after advised of his right to remain silent and to have an attorney present, they say.

Supreme Court lets stand ruling in self-incrimination case

The Supreme Court Monday declined to take a case that explored when police interrogations violate the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

The 2010 Census: Will your answers stay private?

What you need to know about the 2010 Census: The bureau has a proven history of violating privacy in the name of security.

Al Qaeda websites present growing threat, FBI's Mueller warns

Al Qaeda, once limited to areas surrounding Afghanistan, may be using the Internet to recruit and radicalize, FBI Director Robert Mueller testified Wednesday before a House Appropriations subcommittee.

Eric Holder: US does not expect to capture Osama bin Laden alive

Attorney General Eric Holder said the possibility of capturing Osama bin Laden alive is 'infinitesimal.' He spoke in response to sharp questioning Tuesday by House Republicans about prospective risks of some day putting the Al Qaeda leader on trial in a US civilian court.

Supreme Court hands police another victory in Miranda cases

In a Maryland case involving child abuse, the US Supreme Court ruled that police could interrogate a suspect after he'd invoked his Miranda right to first consult a lawyer. The justices said at least two weeks must pass since the initial questioning.

Supreme Court: Police can ad-lib Miranda warnings

Police officers do not have to use exact wording when delivering Miranda warnings to criminal suspects, the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in a 7-to-2 decision.

Biden vs. Cheney: three points of dispute

Vice President Joe Biden and former Vice President Dick Cheney dueled Sunday over the terrorist threat and the appropriate US response. They are at odds over the Iraq war, the Christmas Day bomber, and the nature of the terrorist threat confronting America.

Holder letter: why we read Christmas Day bomber his rights

In a letter to Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, Attorney General Eric Holder defended his decision to treat the Christmas Day bomber as a criminal defendant, not an enemy combatant.

Police interrogation: Do you know your lawyer can be present?