Benjamin v. State

116 So. 3d 115 (2013)

From our private database of 46,300+ case briefs, written and edited by humans—never with AI.

Benjamin v. State

Mississippi Supreme Court
116 So. 3d 115 (2013)

Facts

A person was shot dead at a gas station. Police interviewed several boys who were involved in the shooting. Tevin Benjamin (defendant) was identified during these interviews. Police arrested and questioned Benjamin. Benjamin was 14 years old and had his mother present during questioning. Officers Mirandized Benjamin and informed him that he was being charged with capital murder. Benjamin requested a lawyer. Benjamin’s mother stated that she could not afford a lawyer. One officer stated that Benjamin would have to talk to a lawyer and could not be pressured into talking to police but gave Benjamin and his mother time to discuss the matter. After the officers left the room, Benjamin’s mother advised Benjamin to talk. When the officers returned, Benjamin’s mother asked what Benjamin must do if he wanted to talk. The officers stated that Benjamin would have to request to talk to someone, either a lawyer, the judge, or police. The officers added that they had everything they needed and did not need to talk to Benjamin, only wanted his side of the story. The officers informed Benjamin that because he was charged with capital murder, he would have to spend the night in jail. The officers again left the room so that Benjamin could talk to his mother. Benjamin’s mother then informed police that Benjamin wanted to talk. The officers advised Benjamin of his Miranda rights. Benjamin asked whether he would be jailed at the end of the interview. The officers stated that Benjamin’s detainment would depend on how he answered their questions. During questioning, and despite pressure from the officers and his mother to tell the truth, Benjamin insisted that he had been at a fair the night of the shooting. The state (plaintiff) nevertheless charged Benjamin with murder. Benjamin moved to suppress statements he made to police during his interview. The trial court denied the motion. Benjamin was convicted and appealed.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Chandler, J.)

Dissent (Pierce, J.)

What to do next…

  1. Unlock this case brief with a free (no-commitment) trial membership of Quimbee.

    You’ll be in good company: Quimbee is one of the most widely used and trusted sites for law students, serving more than 815,000 law students since 2011. Some law schools even subscribe directly to Quimbee for all their law students.

  2. Learn more about Quimbee’s unique (and proven) approach to achieving great grades at law school.

    Quimbee is a company hell-bent on one thing: helping you get an “A” in every course you take in law school, so you can graduate at the top of your class and get a high-paying law job. We’re not just a study aid for law students; we’re the study aid for law students.

Here's why 815,000 law students have relied on our case briefs:

  • Written by law professors and practitioners, not other law students. 46,300 briefs, keyed to 988 casebooks. Top-notch customer support.
  • The right amount of information, includes the facts, issues, rule of law, holding and reasoning, and any concurrences and dissents.
  • Access in your classes, works on your mobile and tablet. Massive library of related video lessons and high quality multiple-choice questions.
  • Easy to use, uniform format for every case brief. Written in plain English, not in legalese. Our briefs summarize and simplify; they don’t just repeat the court’s language.

Access this case brief for FREE

With a 7-day free trial membership
Here's why 815,000 law students have relied on our case briefs:
  • Reliable - written by law professors and practitioners, not other law students
  • The right length and amount of information - includes the facts, issue, rule of law, holding and reasoning, and any concurrences and dissents
  • Access in your class - works on your mobile and tablet
  • 46,300 briefs - keyed to 988 casebooks
  • Uniform format for every case brief
  • Written in plain English - not in legalese and not just repeating the court's language
  • Massive library of related video lessons - and practice questions
  • Top-notch customer support

Access this case brief for FREE

With a 7-day free trial membership