June 13, 1966: Miranda v. Arizona

June 13, 1966: The U.S. Supreme Court hands down its decision in the case of Miranda v. Arizona.

The Court holds that both inculpatory and exculpatory statements made in response to interrogation by a defendant in police custody will be admissible at trial only if the prosecution can show that the defendant was informed of the right to consult with an attorney before and during questioning, and of the right against self-incrimination before police questioning, and that the defendant not only understood these rights, but voluntarily waived them.

On March 13, 1963, Ernesto Miranda was arrested by the Phoenix Police Department, based on circumstantial evidence linking him to a kidnapping and rape. After 2 hours of interrogation, he signed a confession.

However, at no time was Miranda told of his right to counsel. Before being presented with the form on which he was asked to write out the confession he had already given orally, he was not advised of his right to remain silent, nor was he informed that his statements during the interrogation would be used against him.

At trial, when prosecutors offered Miranda's written confession as evidence, his court-appointed lawyer, Alvin Moore, objected that because of these facts, the confession was not truly voluntary and should be excluded. He was convicted, but with this ruling, the Supreme Court overturned his conviction.

Ernesto Miranda was the subject of an important case. But he was no hero, and the evidence proved it. He was retried in 1967, and was convicted. He was paroled in 1972, and murdered in a bar fight in 1976. He was 34.

Because of their invocation by arresting officers on television and in movies, some people believe that if a suspect is not informed of his "Miranda Rights," he has to be let go. That is not true. Rather, anything he says to the officer(s) before he is advised of those rights is inadmissible in court.

Byron White was both the last remaining Justice from Miranda v. Arizona, serving until 1993; and the last surviving one, living until 2002.

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June 13, 1966 was a Monday. These baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees lost to the Baltimore Orioles, 8-0 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Jim Palmer allowed 3 hits in 5 innings, although he walked 6 batters. Eddie Watt was perfect over the last 4 innings, completing the 3-hit shutout. Al Downing was the losing pitcher. Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson both hit home runs. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris each went 0-for-3 with a walk.

This result was typical of the season: The Yankees were in full collapse, and finished in last place, the only time it would happen between 1912 and 1990; while the Orioles won their 1st Pennant since moving to Baltimore in 1954.

* The New York Mets split a doubleheader with the St. Louis Cardinals at Shea Stadium. The Mets won the opener, 5-2. Bob Shaw outpitched Al Jackson. Hawk Taylor and Bill Murphy hit home runs. Lou Brock went 0-for-4. The Cards won the nightcap, 4-1. Ray Washburn outpitched Jack Hamilton. Brock rebounded to go 3-for-4 with 2 stolen bases. Over the 2 games, Ken Boyer went 4-for-9 with a home run and 2 RBIs against his former team.

* The Philadelphia Phillies swept a doubleheader from the Atlanta Braves, 6-2 and 6-4 at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Over the 2 games, Hank Aaron went 2-for-8 with a walk.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Roberto Clemente hit a 3-run home run. Pete Rose went 2-for-4. So did Vada Pinson, who also drove in all the Reds' runs, including a 3-run homer.

* The Detroit Tigers beat the Washington Senators, 4-3 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. Al Kaline went 0-for-4.

* A doubleheader was split at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The Chicago White Sox won the 1st game, 5-1. The California Angels won the 2nd game, 2-1.

* A doubleheader was split at Kansas City Municipal Stadium. The Kansas City Athletics won the 1st game, 5-2. The Minnesota Twins won the 2nd game, 6-1. Over the 2 games, Harmon Killebrew went 0-for-7, but, in the 2nd game, he did draw a walk, and drove in 2 runs with groundouts.

* The Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-6 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

* And the San Francisco Giants beat the Chicago Cubs, 8-0 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Gaylord Perry pitched 7 innings of 3-hit shutout ball, and Lindy McDaniel completed the 5-hit shutout. The losing pitcher was Ernie Broglio. So, between this game and the 2nd game of the Cardinals' doubleheader, Cub fans had the Broglio-for-Lou Brock trade of 2 years earlier rubbed in, again.