Opinion ID: 14713
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Effect of prior un-Mirandized statements

Text: Garcia Abrego’s custodial statement at the FBI office was not rendered involuntary by the fact that he previously made unMirandized statements to Agent Hensley. Miranda merely created a prophylactic rule that establishes an irrebuttable presumption of involuntariness with respect to statements made during custodial interrogation that are not preceded by Miranda warnings. See McNeil v. Wisconsin, 501 U.S. 171, 176 (1991). Mirandized statements made subsequent to an un-Mirandized statement are not the illegal fruit of the prior statement unless the prior statement was actually involuntary as opposed to merely presumed involuntary on the basis that it was given without the benefit of Miranda warnings. See Oregon v. Elstad, 470 U.S. 298, 310-11 (1985) (holding that, absent evidence that an unwarned statement was actually the product of police coercion, “a careful and thorough administration of Miranda warnings serves to cure the condition that rendered the unwarned statement inadmissible”). The record provides no indication that Garcia Abrego’s statements to Agent Hensley were involuntary. Therefore, these statements did not taint Garcia Abrego’s later statement at the FBI office.