Ernesto Miranda

Ernesto Arturo Miranda ( b. March 9, 1941, Mesa, Arizona - d. January 31, 1976, Phoenix, Arizona) was a laborer whose conviction on rape charges based on his confession under police interrogation resulted in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case (Miranda v. Arizona) which ruled that a police officer upon arresting a person must read him his rights to counsel and to remain silent.

Life after Miranda v. Arizona

Only Miranda's rape charge was dropped. A robbery charge was still valid and another trial was decided to be held on the rape charge (without the confession as evidence) soon after the decision. He was quickly re-sentenced to 20 to 30 years in prison for kidnapping and rape due to a confession he had made to his wife.

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After serving one-third of his sentence and being turned down for parole four times Miranda was paroled in December 1972. After his release, he started selling autographed Miranda Warning cards for $1.50. Over the next years Miranda was arrested numerous times for minor driving offenses and eventually lost his privilege to drive a car. He was arrested for the possession of a gun but the charges were dropped. But because this violated his parole he was sent back to Arizona State Prison for another year.

Related Topics:
1972 - Miranda Warning

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After his release, Miranda spent most of his time in poorly kept bars and cheap hotels in the bad section of Phoenix. On January 31, 1976, Miranda, then working as a delivery driver, participated in a card game at the La Amapola Bar. A violent fight broke out, and Miranda was mortally wounded with a knife and was dead on arrival at Good Samaritan Hospital. He was 34 years old. A suspect was arrested and read the Miranda warning. He then declined to give a statement. The suspect was released and supposedly fled to Mexico. The Miranda murder case was closed without apprehending the murderer.

Related Topics:
Phoenix - January 31 - 1976

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