Ernesto Miranda – 1941-1976

Miranda was a career criminal who, in 1963, was arrested for a series of rapes in Phoenix, Arizona. On the basis of his confession, he was convicted; however, the U.S. Supreme Court on June 13, 1966, overturned the conviction because the police had failed to inform Miranda of his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination by refusing to answer police questions without the presence of legal counsel. As a result of this decision, arresting officers now read suspects their “Miranda rights,” informing them that they have the right to remain silent and to have an attorney present before any questioning is conducted. (Miranda was later retried and convicted on new evidence.)