Case: R v. Hebert
Facts of Case
Judges: Dickson, Robert George Brian; Lamer, Antonio; Wilson, Bertha; La Forest, Gérard V.; L'Heureux-Dubé, Claire; Sopinka, John; Gonthier, Charles Doherty; Cory, Peter deCarteret; McLachlin, Beverley
Neil Hebert was suspected of having robbed the Klondike Inn. After the police located Hebert, they placed him under arrest and informed him of his rights, and took him to the R.C.M.P detachment in Whitehorse. Hebert contacted counsel and obtained legal advice regarding his right to refuse to give a statement. After exercising his right to contact counsel, Hebert was interrogated by the police. During the interrogation, Hebert indicated that he did not desire to make a statement. In attempt to
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The evidence should be excluded under s. 24(2) of the Charter.
Ratio Decidendi
Constitutional issue was whether the police had violated Hebert’s right to remain silent in process of obtaining information. Basic doctrines from the principals of fundamental justice were examined which involved (1) investigating common law rules (2) examining the Charter (3) examining the purpose of the right to remain silent.
1. Common Law Rules McLachlin concluded that there was a person whose right was at risk by the processes that occurred. Hebert had the right to choose whether to make a statement to the police or to remain silent.
2. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms The primary viewpoint of the Charter was the dominance of the rights and the fairness of the judicial system. Two related Charter rights complimented this case: the right to counsel under s. 10(b) and the right against self-incrimination under s. 11(c). In addition, as mentioned earlier, the right remain silent was an issue. Majority found that these rights granted Hebert right to be free of coercion by the police, but also the right to choose whether or not to give a statement.
3. Right to Remain Silent In this case, the court held that the right to silence was a principle of fundamental justice (core values within the justice system that must triumph over these rights for the good of society). Statements cannot be achieved through police deception and silence
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney...this is what you hear on all your favorite cop shows. But, where did this saying come from? In 1963 Ernesto Miranda a ninth grade dropout (PBS) was arrested and charged with kidnaping, rape, and armed robbery. The police interrogated him for two hours. During the question Miranda supposedly admitted to all the crimes. The police then used Miranda’s confession to convict him in court. While in prison Miranda appealed his case and eventually brought it to the Supreme Court. The court ruled five to four in favor of Miranda. The Supreme Court was correct in their ruling of Miranda v. Arizona, because
Philip J. Cooper v. Charles Austin 837 S. W. 2d 606 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1992)
This case is one that changed the way the United States Police forces will work forever. Every human in the world has natural born rights. Even people who have been arrested have rights, ‘The rights of the accused’. These rights are the main point of this court case.
Justice Holmes delivered the majority opinion declaring that a person’s speech can be limited if that speech present clear danger.
This is an important debate for people accused of a crime because these rights could mean the difference between freedom and imprisonment. The two positions argue whether or not suspects should be read their Miranda Rights. Both viewpoints have valid claims warranting consideration. For example, evidence indicates that these rights could help guilty suspects avoid punishment. In contrast, opposing evidence suggests that they will not. While both sides of the issue have valid points, the claim that suspects should be read their Miranda Rights is the stronger position, the position supported by a preponderance of the evidence cited in the passages. The most convincing and forceful reasons in support of this position are that these rights
In the case of Fare v. Michael C., the police arrested the sixteen-year-old Michael C. under the suspicion of murder, and he was transported to the police station for a custodial interrogation (Elrod & Ryder, 2014). Furthermore, before the interrogation began Michael C. was advised of his Miranda Rights, and Michael C. specifically asked to consult his probation officer, and not a lawyer (Elrod & Ryder, 2014). Consequently, the police refused to allow Michael C. to speak with his state probation officer, and they continued to question him about the murder (Henry-Mays, 2007). Michael C. continued to answer the investigator’s questions and he drew sketches, which ultimately implicated him in the murder (Henry-Mays, 2007). Now that we understand the general facts of the case, let us examine the key facts and issues, which lead to the Supreme Court’s decision.
Citation: New Jersey v. T. L. O. 469 U.S. 325 105 S. Ct. 733; 83 L. Ed. 2d 720; 1985 U. S. LEXIS 41; 53 U.S.L.W. 4083.
This case had to do with Ernesto Miranda v. Arizona. Miranda was in interrogation with the police and he was not told about his rights to remain silent and the right to counsel. Even though he was not informed of his rights he still signed a confession saying that what he said what he said to the police in the interrogation was completely voluntary. On the top of each page was the statement, “I, Ernesto A. Miranda, do hereby swear that I make this statement voluntarily and of my own free will, with no threats, coercion, or promises of immunity, and with full knowledge of my legal rights, understanding any statement I make may be used against me.” He was not fully acknowledged of his rights until 1:30 when he was signing his confession after a two hour long interrogation. This case
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney...this is what you hear on all your favorite cop shows. But, where did this saying come from? In 1963 Ernesto Miranda a ninth grade dropout (PBS) was arrested and charged with kidnaping, rape, and armed robbery. The police interrogated him for two hours. During the question Miranda supposedly admitted to all the crimes. The police then used Miranda’s confession to convict him in court. While in prison Miranda appealed his case and eventually brought it to the Supreme Court. The court ruled five to four in favor of Miranda. The Supreme Court was correct in their ruling of Miranda v. Arizona, because the majority opinion correctly argued the fifth and sixth amendments. The dissenting opinion arguments regarding the fifth and sixth amendments were incorrect and in other cases involving due process this amendment was abused. In similar cases the court ruled in favor of the defendant because he was harmed during the interrogation process.
R.v. Feeney (1997) is a important case for the development of a Feeney warrant, which is needed for the police to enter a dwelling house. This ensures individuals have privacy at their homes from the police making forcible entries. When a suspect gets arrested and their privacy rights are infringed. The job of the courts are then to evaluate the case, and check if the appellants rights were indeed violated, if so was it because the protection of society outweigh the individual right to privacy. First, in this paper we will discuss important section numbers relating to the Feeney case which includes section 8, 10 (b), and section 24 (b). Than we will examine the ruling from the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the Feeney case and how this case has impacted police in their work and assuring individuals their right to privacy. After we will look at two other cases precedent to the Feeney case that includes R.v. Godoy (1999) and R.v. Gomboc (2010). Lastly, the personal analysis section will evaluate the decisions made from the three cases, identifying whether the judges have made the correct decisions.
Christopher E. Smith, Police Professionalism and the Rights of Criminal Defendants, 26 Crim. L. Bull. 155, 158 (1990)
It was insisted upon as a defensive weapon of society and society's patriots against laws and proceedings that did not have the sanction of public opinion. In all the cases that have made the formative history of this privilege and have lent to it its color, all that the accused asked for was a fair trial before a fair and impartial jury of his peers, to whom he should not be forced by the state or sovereignty to confess his guilt of the fact charged. Once before a jury, the person accused needed not to concern himself with the inferences that the jury might draw from his silence, as the jurors themselves were only too eager to render verdicts of not guilty in the cases alluded
This is a very important case in the criminal world, it is the case that the Supreme Courts ruled law enforcement has to advise a suspect of their Fifth Amendment right to be free from self-incrimination. The case was Miranda v. Arizona (384 U.S. 436[1966]). From our book it states, "The prosecution may not us statements, whether exculpatory or exculpatory, stemming from custodial interrogation of the defendant unless it demonstrates the use of procedural safeguard effective to secure the privileges against self-incrimination" (Worrall, 2015). This case was a major case back when it happen and brought light to some major issues that was happening in that time. In this paper I will describe the case and the outcome, also give more details of what the case did for the future with rights of defendants and courts case.
As we get to understand the Sixth Amendment and the impact it has on individuals who are subject to interrogation and their own confessions to a crime, we have to wonder why it is so important for us to understand our rights. There are a few ways that our verbal statements could be used against us once we are placed into an interrogation room and questioned, but why do we put so much emphasis on the important of these types of statements? Before we can explain how the sixth amendments can impact interrogations’ and confessions we first have to understand that before the Sixth Amendment can come in to play, the Fifth Amendment is the one that setup the Sixth Amendment to be addressed,
The Court determined that the process of interrogation was intimidating enough and in order to counteract this feeling, the suspect must be read his right. The suspect must be read his/her rights before being questioned; in addition, officer is not required to inform the suspect of their rights while placing the suspect under arrest, under the condition that the officers don’t interrogate the suspect in any way.