LAL Live: Miranda Warnings No More? + Authoritarian Classics (NPS June 28)

Norm opens the show talking about the frenzy that has become criminal court in a post COVID judicial system, and offers an anecdote or two to shed some light on why the public's often low regard for attorneys is sometimes justified.  Norm then transitions to a discussion of one SCOTUS decision from this term that did not get much press during recent days, what he calls a "sleep decision", Vega v. Tekoh, which deals with Miranda Warnings.  You know "Miranda Warnings" from TV shows, "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, if you cannot afford an attorney . . ."  SCOTUS held that Section 1983 claims may perhaps not be sustained simply because a law enforcement official neglects to read an arrestee his or her Miranda rights at the point of arrenst.  Norm offers some general advice about how to handle inquiries from law enforcement. Pay attention! The Fifth Amendment protects us from being compelled to make statements against our interests. So what now? Well, Miranda Warnings are only required when a person is in custody. But that is a very tenuous place during an encounter with law enforcement. Norm breaks down why this is chilling—that Miranda rights are merely prophylatic measures serving the "greater good" rather than constitutional rights.  Norm then comments on his contempt for Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont's overt and shameless willingness to make the Dobbs decision a tone deaf campaign issue.  The J6 Committee is hearing new evidence about Trump's activities on January 6. Are we even to take them seriously? Norm spends most of the balance of the show discussing the concept of authoritarianism and suggesting authoritarian dystopian literary classics for loyal listeners to discover or rediscover.  Like, share, and subscribe. Norm is live every weekday from 12pm ET to 2pm ET on WICC 600AM/107.3FM. Stream Norm live at https://www.wicc600.com/. Follow @PattisPodcast on Twitter.