Mincey Residence v. Arizona Case Study

An undercover agent and several officers stormed a Mincey’s residence in Mincey v. Arizona case. The undercover policeman was shot, and Mincey was injured. In the afternoon of the same day as the attack, another murder investigator went to Mincey’s hospital (Justia Law, n.d.). After Miranda warnings, the investigator continued questioning Mincey while he lay in bed, hardly awake, despite his repeated requests for the questioning to halt until he could call a lawyer. Mincey was then found guilty of murder, abuse, and drug charges. Minsey, on the other hand, contended that the statements acquired from him at the clinic were invalid because they were not given freely, applying a petition. The Arizona Supreme Court overturned the assault and murder charges based on state law but upheld the drug convictions (Justia Law, n.d.). While remarks made by the accused under circumstances that violate the restrictions of Miranda v. Arizona were admissible for investigation, any criminal justice use of an involuntary statement against the petitioner was deemed a violation of the due process of law.

Two constitutional issues arose as a result of the interrogation. First, whether the admission of evidence obtained during a four-day warrantless search of Mincey’s home was an unlawful search and seizure as per the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. It was, yet, this is not pertinent to the current discussion. The other issue is about the admission of Mincey’s statements to police interrogation that might violate his Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendment privileges. As far as Mincey’s remarks were not made willingly, they were inadmissible. During the detective’s questioning, Mincey was barely aware and severely hampered by the medical apparatus. Mincey’s repeated assertions that he did not wish to speak without representation confirm that statements are inadmissible. As a criminal justice professional, I recognize this case as a prominent illustration of Miranda’s law in action.

References

Justia Law. (n.d.). Mincey v. Arizona, 437 U.S. 385 (1978).