SKIP TO CONTENT
We use both our own and third-party cookies for statistical purposes and to improve our services. If you continue to browse, we consider that you accept the use of these.
  • Celebrating 20 Years of Training Excellence 2004-2024

Miranda Warnings: When to Readmonish

The author recently had the occasion to assist officers with a question. It is one that hadn’t come up for the author before so it seemed like a good topic for the informed officer to review. The question was this: A suspect was arrested earlier in the day, approximately four hours before, he had waived his Miranda rights and given a statement. A different officer wanted to speak with the suspect about a different crime. The question was whether the new officer had to give the suspect Miranda warnings. Obviously, the safe answer is yes. The case law, however, is no.

The Court in People v. Lewis (2001) 26 Cal. 4th 334, looked at this question. In that case, Detective Lean read the suspect his rights at around 12:30 p.m. Investigator Martin, who was advised the suspect had been admonished and waived, did not readmonish the suspect five hours later. The suspect confessed. The Court found that readvisement is unnecessary where the subsequent interrogation is reasonably contemporaneous with the prior knowing and intelligent waiver. The courts examine the totality of the circumstances, including the time passed since the waiver, any change in the identity of the interrogator, the location of the interview, any reminder of the prior advisement, and the suspect’s past experience with law enforcement.

The Court in People v. Williams (2010) 49 Cal.4th 405 Another case found that 40 hours was not too long. In that case the court restated the test above and found that the two interviews were in the same location and was carried out by the same interrogator. The court also found that the suspect had substantial experience with the criminal justice system having been interrogated before, thus lessening any effect the lack of a subsequent admonishment may have had.

Another case, however, found that three days was too long between advisements as it was not close enough in time. People v. Quirk (1982) 129 Cal.App.3d 618.

For our out of California readers, the United States Supreme Court in Colorado v. Spring (1987) 479 U.S. 564, similarly found that a subsequent interview on the same day may cover a different topic and there would be no need for a new advisement.

Most cases have found there is no need for a subsequent admonishment when the subsequent interrogation takes place at the same place, relatively contemporaneously to the first, and the interrogators are the same. It is critical for officers, as always, to document these facts. If it isn’t written, it didn’t happen. Be safe.

 

  • The information presented was highly relevant to my job and was presented in a manner that was organized and very easy to digest.

    —Michael McGarvey, California State Prison, San Quentin
  • Instructional style is engaging and highly effective.

    —George Laing, Fire Prevention Captain, Investigator
  • This training provided the useful tools necessary for assessing the veracity of a suspected child abuser, which goes a long way in helping to protect children.

    —Sunny Burgan, MSSW, LCSW, Social Work Supervisor, Santa Clara County DFCS
  • Your training has made the greatest and most direct impact on my assignment of any training class that I've taken.

    —Ken Gelskey, National City Police Department
  • This was, by far and away the best training I have received in 15 plus years of Law Enforcement. The instructors are experienced, engaging, articulate, and very entertaining. I will be recommending this training to multiple agencies.

    —Mark Paynter, Oregon DOC
  • This was, by far, one of the most useful training classes I've attended since becoming an investigator.

    —Steven Aiello, Antioch Police Department
  • I highly recommend this training for any Probation staff who have the necessity to interview/interrogate individuals for investigation purposes.

    —R. Bret Fidler, Santa Clara County Probation Department
  • I will continue to use and pass on this information because I really believe in the instructors and their approach.

    —Kimberly Meyer, Washoe County Sheriff's Department
  • It not often that you go to a training that you really, really want to pay attention to. Because of the high quality information and style of presentation, I knew that if I looked away I was going to miss out.

    —Quinten Graves, Oregon State Police
  • This training by far has been the most informative and most effective I've attended. The instructors engaged the students in a manner that made me want to speak my opinion, ask questions, and participate.

    —Julio Ibarra, Merced County Sheriff’s Office
  • Effective teaching teams! The presentation of the material was consistently interesting, and intelligent without being too intellectualized.

    —Michele Keller, Deputy Probation Officer, County of Alameda
  • Incredible training with amazing real world instruction. I have been taking law enforcement classes for over 30 years and by far this is the best presented and most useful.

    —Det. Brian Dale, Portland Police Bureau
  • Your training gave me the confidence and tools to interview the suspect for over 5 hours and to bring a closure to the case.

    —Daniel Phelan, San Jose Police Department