FREE ESSAY ON CASE OF MIRANDA V. ARIZONA

CASE OF MIRANDA V. ARIZONA

The Supreme Court of the United States of America often makes decisions, which change this
great nation in a great way. Often there is a disagreement over their decision: the court
itself is often split. The impact of the Courts decision creates discussions and on
occasion, violence. This is what happened in the case of Miranda v. Arizona in 1966, this
case proven to be one of the most controversial cases in the history of this great nation
and its people. This case changed history of this country and left a tremendous impact,
which many tried to revisit and change in some way or another.
Ernest Miranda was born in 1940 in a little town Mesa, Arizona. His father had emigrated
from Mexico and now was supporting the family of tree as a house painter. In 1946 Ernest
Miranda lost his mother. His mother's death seemed to mark the end of the happy childhood
and the beginning of the troubled youth (Miranda v. Arizona 14). It was in the elementary
school were Mr. Miranda a chose his way, his discipline was not acceptable his attendance
record shows more absences then days present. He was able to finish the 8th grade but his
latter education was stopped by his growing criminal activities his first serious arrest
was for car theft, he was convicted and received probation (Miranda v. Arizona 14). From
then on his criminal record growth to inorams size, it shows that he was arrested and
convicted for crime such as burglary for which he was convicted and sends to State
Industrial School for Boys at Fort Grant. Only a month after his release he arrested and
charged with attempted rape and assault. He was found guilty and returned to Fort Grand
in January 1957 Miranda was released from Fort Grant two month latter he was arrested in
California for curfew violations and Peeping Tom activities five month after hi was
arrested for armed robbery. He was released because the state did not have enough
evidence to convict him (Miranda v. Arizona 14). During Miranda life he tried many times
to start over and start a new life as an obedient citizen. He joined the army but was
undesirably discharged. Again his criminal activities entered his life. In 1959 hi was
arrested and convicted of auto theft and was sentenced up to a year in federal prison in
Ohio later he was transferred to Lompoc, California which was closer to home. He was
released in January 1961(Miranda v. Arizona 14). Next two years in his life Miranda life
were spend in some what calm and normal way he moved in with Twaila Hoffman and her
children however his criminal past followed him in March 1963 he was arrested and charged
with kidnapping and rape.
Lois Ann Jameson (not her real name) took a bus to Seventh and Marlette streets. She
stepped of the bus few minutes past mid night and began walking toward her home on Citrus
Way. Suddenly a car pulled out of the driveway blocking the sidewalk. The driver got out
and pushed Jameson in, then after tying her hands and ankles the men drove out toward a
deserted area. He told the women to take her cloth off and then raped her allowed her to
get dressed and took her back to the neigborhood where he had previously kidnapped her.
Two police officers Cooley and Young arrived at the seine and as the result of the short
investigation Miranda came out to be their suspect. After checking Miranda lengthy
criminal record Cooley and Young arrived to the Miranda house. There they asked him to
come with them to the station for a discussion on the case that they were investigating.
At the police station Miranda was placed in the line up, and Lois Ann Jameson identified
him. She also asked him if she could hear him speak. The detectives told Miranda that he
was identified and began questioning him as the result he confessed to the rape. Then the
detectives brought Lois Ann Jameson to the room so she could hear his voice after he was
clearly identified as the rapist he was taken Phoenix jail where he was booked in the
charges of kidnapping and rape (Miranda v. Arizona 14).
Miranda was appointed an attorney by the name of Alvin Moor. His main strategy was to
prove that Miranda was insane. Court appointed two psychiatrists who came to a almost
identical conclusion that Miranda was not insane and could tell the difference between
right and wrong (Miranda v. Arizona18-19). After this strategy failed Moore did not
attempted to pull of a miracle have some surprise witnesses he basically was challenged
the use of the confession and the way that was use to receive it from Miranda.
As a result of this case Miranda was found guilty and sentenced to 20 to 30 years in
prison.
Moore strongly believed that his client did not receive a fair trial and that the most
incriminating evidence his confession should not have been admitted as evidence (Miranda
v. Arizona 14). Therefor he appealed Miranda's conviction to the Arizona Supreme Court
this action proved to be unsuccessful. As Justice McFarland of the Arizona Supreme Court
put it Defendant had a record which indicates that he was not without court-room
experience... he was certainly not unfamiliar with legal proceedings and the right in the
court... police testified that they had informed that defendants of his rights (Miranda
v. Arizona 24).
The next step for Miranda and his lawyer was to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Miranda
like many other convicted prisoners heard of Clarence Gideon, who had appealed his
conviction in forma paureris (in the form of a pauper)(Miranda v. Arizona 26). Miranda
appealed to the U. S. Supreme Court but was rejected because of the minor mistakes in the
paper work. Unknown to Miranda American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) captured the
attention of his case. Robert Corcoran was in charge he contacted Miranda attorney and
informed him that they had a good chance in the U. S. Supreme Court. At the same time he
learned that Mr. Moore was not interested in this case do to his health. Corcoran found
two lawyers who took this case to the court; they were John J. Flynn and John P. Frank. 
It took almost a year for the case finally to be seen by the Supreme Court but on the
other case it gave the attorneys to prepare for the half an hour of oral presentation in
which thy had to present the case and also defend it.