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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Supreme Court: Suspects Must Go Before Judge Within 6 Hours

Or confessions will be thrown out of fed court

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(Newser) – The Supreme Court today threw out the confession of Johnnie Corley, a Pennsylvania robbery suspect, saying that the 29½ hours federal authorities waited before bringing him to court was too long, the AP reports. In a 5-4 decision, the court said any confessions federal authorities elicited before a prisoner’s first court appearance may be inadmissible if more than 6 hours elapsed since the arrest.

“Federal agents would be free to question suspects for extended periods before bringing them out in the open,” wrote David Souter in the majority opinion, “and we have always known what custodial secrecy leads to.”

Members of the US Supreme Court sit for a group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington in this March 3, 2006 file photo.
Members of the US Supreme Court sit for a group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington in this March 3, 2006 file photo.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
The steps of the Supreme Court building are shown in this 2000 file photo in Washington.
The steps of the Supreme Court building are shown in this 2000 file photo in Washington.   (AP Photo/Pat Benic, FILE)
Members of the Supreme Court await the arrival of President Barack Obama prior to his address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009.
Members of the Supreme Court await the arrival of President Barack Obama prior to his address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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4 comments
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AClotfelter
Apr 6, 09 11:28 AM CDT
Wow, 6 hours? That seems amazingly short... Reply
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TerrifiedCitizen
Apr 6, 09 1:19 PM CDT
“and we have always known what custodial secrecy leads to.” 'Always' seems like an awful long time that it takes us to correct wrongs... Reply
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RobN
Apr 6, 09 1:56 PM CDT
Six hours? Well let's hope they don't arrest anybody at night when there isn't always a judge sitting around. Reply
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northeast
Apr 6, 09 4:10 PM CDT
Midnight justices? *audience groans*
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