Florida v. Powell
United States Supreme Court
559 U.S. 50 (2010)
- Written by Sean Carroll, JD
Facts
Powell (defendant) was arrested for robbery and taken to the police station. Before the police began questioning, an officer advised Powell that he had "the right to talk to a lawyer before answering any of [the law enforcement officers'] questions," and that he could invoke the right "at any time . . . during th[e] interview." Powell said that he understood his rights and was willing to answer questions. Powell then made incriminating statements regarding a handgun. At trial, Powell filed a motion to suppress the statements, arguing that the Miranda warning he received was deficient, because it led him to believe that he could have a lawyer present only before, but not during questioning. The trial court denied the motion. Powell appealed, and the Florida Supreme Court reversed. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Ginsburg, J.)
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