Question Presented
After being pulled over for running a red light, Mr. Knight was asked to ride in the patrol car, but was assured that he could leave after the traffic stop paperwork was completed. During the course of the ride, Mr. Knight made incriminating statements in response to a police officer’s questions. Under the Fifth Amendment as interpreted by Delaware courts, which requires law enforcement officials to provide Miranda warnings before custodial interrogations, can Mr. Knight’s statements during his ride in the patrol car be suppressed?
Brief Answer
No. Mr. Knight’s statements cannot be suppressed for violation of Miranda rights. A statement can be suppressed for violation of Miranda rights under the Fifth Amendment if the suspect …show more content…
Mr. Knight blacked out during the course of the evening and woke up the next morning in Ms. Stone’s condo to find her dead.
On his drive away from the Phoenix, Mr. Knight was pulled over by Officers Karen Davis and Drew Green for running a red light. Officer Davis asked Jeremy “what a kid like him from the suburbs was doing out in the city in the middle of the night.” Jeremy hesitated before responding that he was driving for Uber. During this interaction, Officer Davis observed that “something seemed a little off” about Jeremy because he kept mumbling and avoiding eye contact, but did not see any evidence of drinking or drug use. While Officer Green was running the summons information, he became aware of am emergency at the Phoenix that required all available officers in the area. After consulting with Officer Davis, they asked Mr. Knight to ride in the back of the patrol car with them so Officer Davis could proceed to the Phoenix while Officer Green returned Mr. Knight to his car to finish the summons paperwork. He agreed. Mr. Knight was assured that “he would be free to go as soon as the paperwork was complete.” He was neither handcuffed nor received Miranda
After being pulled over for running a red light, Mr. Knight was asked to ride in the patrol car, but was assured that he could leave after the traffic stop paperwork was completed. During the course of the ride, Mr. Knight made incriminating statements in response to a police officer’s questions. Under the Fifth Amendment as interpreted by Delaware courts, which requires law enforcement officials to provide Miranda warnings before custodial interrogations, can Mr. Knight’s statements during his ride in the patrol car be suppressed?
Brief Answer
No. Mr. Knight’s statements cannot be suppressed for violation of Miranda rights. A statement can be suppressed for violation of Miranda rights under the Fifth Amendment if the suspect …show more content…
Mr. Knight blacked out during the course of the evening and woke up the next morning in Ms. Stone’s condo to find her dead.
On his drive away from the Phoenix, Mr. Knight was pulled over by Officers Karen Davis and Drew Green for running a red light. Officer Davis asked Jeremy “what a kid like him from the suburbs was doing out in the city in the middle of the night.” Jeremy hesitated before responding that he was driving for Uber. During this interaction, Officer Davis observed that “something seemed a little off” about Jeremy because he kept mumbling and avoiding eye contact, but did not see any evidence of drinking or drug use. While Officer Green was running the summons information, he became aware of am emergency at the Phoenix that required all available officers in the area. After consulting with Officer Davis, they asked Mr. Knight to ride in the back of the patrol car with them so Officer Davis could proceed to the Phoenix while Officer Green returned Mr. Knight to his car to finish the summons paperwork. He agreed. Mr. Knight was assured that “he would be free to go as soon as the paperwork was complete.” He was neither handcuffed nor received Miranda