Ernesto Miranda The one enduring feature of the Zodiac Killer is his ability to play with words, often using contemporary stories in the newspapers to surreptitiously weave into his communications. But was November 1966 one such instance, when the landmark story of "the confession" heavily featured in the newspapers throughout the year to the chagrin of law enforcement, who would become three years later, the target of mockery and ridicule at the hand of the Zodiac Killer.
On June 13th 1966 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, was a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that law enforcement in the United States must warn a person of their constitutional rights before interrogating them, or else the person's statements or confession cannot be used as evidence at their trial. Specifically, the Court held that under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the government cannot use a person's statements made in response to an interrogation while in police custody as evidence at the person's criminal trial unless they can show that the person was informed of the right to consult with a lawyer before and during questioning, and of the right against self-incrimination before police questioning, and that the defendant not only understood these rights but also voluntarily waived them before answering questions.
Ernesto Arturo Miranda (March 9, 1941 – January 31, 1976) was an American laborer whose criminal conviction was set aside in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona, which ruled that criminal suspects must be informed of their right against self-incrimination and their right to consult with an attorney before being questioned by police. This warning is known as a Miranda warning. Ernesto Miranda had been convicted of kidnapping, rape, and armed robbery charges based on his confession under police interrogation. Wikipedia.
On June 13th 1966 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, was a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that law enforcement in the United States must warn a person of their constitutional rights before interrogating them, or else the person's statements or confession cannot be used as evidence at their trial. Specifically, the Court held that under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the government cannot use a person's statements made in response to an interrogation while in police custody as evidence at the person's criminal trial unless they can show that the person was informed of the right to consult with a lawyer before and during questioning, and of the right against self-incrimination before police questioning, and that the defendant not only understood these rights but also voluntarily waived them before answering questions.
Ernesto Arturo Miranda (March 9, 1941 – January 31, 1976) was an American laborer whose criminal conviction was set aside in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona, which ruled that criminal suspects must be informed of their right against self-incrimination and their right to consult with an attorney before being questioned by police. This warning is known as a Miranda warning. Ernesto Miranda had been convicted of kidnapping, rape, and armed robbery charges based on his confession under police interrogation. Wikipedia.
This was met with dismay by many police departments the length and breadth of the country, who feared the balance of power shifting toward the criminal. with the day-to-day operations of law enforcement being shackled by the ruling of the Supreme Court. A confession was now inadmissable without a prior Miranda warning.from interrogating officers. This may have amused the Zodiac Killer (or author of the Confession letter) when they twice addressed Chief Lambert Kinkead of the Riverside Police Department and headed two letters on November 29th 1966 with "THE CONFESSION", reminding them of a prior "WARNING" they issued to police, typing "Yes I did make that call to you also. It was just a warning". This form of mockery wouldn't have been lost on the Zodiac Killer, had he been present in Riverside during this period. A "just warning" by telephone, followed by a typed confession of murder to police.
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