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When Silence Requires Speech: Reviving The Right To Remain Silent In The Wake Of Salinas V. Texas., Brendan Villaneuva-Le

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

The history of an individual’s Constitutional right not to self-incriminate is complicated and counterintuitive. To eliminate this confusion, current Fifth Amendment jurisprudence should be altered. In Salinas v. Texas, the Supreme Court established silence alone is not enough to invoke an individual’s right to remain silent. Certain individuals face a significant disadvantage by this interpretation due to potential inabilities to understand their rights and how to invoke them. Providing clear and concise warnings better serves the Fifth Amendment’s original purpose, enabling people to know how to invoke their rights. The Supreme Court historically has adopted a liberal interpretation of the …