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15.4: Escobedo v. Illinois

  • Page ID
    54439
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    PETITIONER                                                                                RESPONDENT

    Danny Escobedo                                                                        Illinois

    LOCATION

    Chicago Police Department

    DOCKET NO.                                                                                 DECIDED BY

    615                                                                                           Warren Court

    CITATION

    378 US 478 (1964)

    ARGUED

    Apr 29, 1964

    DECIDED

    Jun 22, 1964

    Facts of the case

    Danny Escobedo was arrested and taken to a police station for questioning. Over several hours, the police refused his repeated requests to see his lawyer. Escobedo's lawyer sought unsuccessfully to consult with his client. Escobedo subsequently confessed to murder.

    Question

    Was Escobedo denied the right to counsel as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment?

    Conclusion

    5–4 Decision for Escobedo Majority Opinion By Arthur J. Goldberg

    FOR

    AGAINST

    Douglas

    Warren

    Black

    Goldberg

    Brennan

    White

    Clark

    Stewart

    Harlan

    Yes. Justice Goldberg, in his majority opinion, spoke for the first time of "an absolute right to remain silent." Escobedo had not been adequately informed of his constitutional right to remain silent rather than to be forced to incriminate himself. The case has lost authority as precedent as the arguments in police interrogation and confession cases have shifted from the Sixth Amendment to the Fifth Amendment, emphasizing whether the appropriate warnings have been given and given correctly, and whether the right to remain silent has been waived.

    Contributors and Attributions


    This page titled 15.4: Escobedo v. Illinois is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Larry Alvarez.

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