Michigan v. Tucker
United States Supreme Court
417 U.S. 433 (1974)
- Written by Salina Kennedy, JD
Facts
Tucker (defendant) was a suspect in a rape case and was taken to the police station for questioning. Before the interrogation started, police verified that Tucker understood why he had been arrested and that he understood his rights. Police asked Tucker whether he wanted an attorney but did not inform him that if he could not afford an attorney, one would be appointed for free. Tucker told police he did not want an attorney. During his interrogation, Tucker told police that he had spent part of the evening in question with a man named Robert Henderson. Police later interviewed Henderson, who made statements that incriminated Tucker. At trial, the statements Tucker had made to police were excluded from evidence, but Henderson was allowed to testify. Tucker was convicted of rape, and his conviction was affirmed by the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court. The United States District Court granted Tucker’s habeas corpus petition, holding that Henderson’s testimony must be excluded, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Rehnquist, J.)
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