I’m not a lawyer.

Today, in Vega v. Tekoh, the court backtracked substantially on its Miranda promise. In Vega, the court held 6-3 (over an excellent dissent by Justice Elena Kagan) that an individual who is denied Miranda warnings and whose compelled statements are introduced against them in a criminal trial cannot sue the police officer who violated their rights, even where a criminal jury finds them not guilty of any crime. By denying people whose rights are violated the ability to seek redress under our country’s most important civil rights statute, the court has further widened the gap between the guarantees found in the Bill of Rights and the people’s ability to hold government officials accountable for violating them.

I take this to mean that cops just got immunity from being sued if they violate procedure, specifically by failing to Mirandize a suspect during an arrest. It’s a big deal for accountability, but I don’t think that has anything to do with the validity of gathered evidence (speech after arrest) brought against said suspect, if this step is skipped.

I’m not going to bother breaking down the SCOTUS ruling remarks; they’re corrupt as hell and I don’t need that kind of mental anguish today.