Supreme Court Hears Prisoner’s Bid for Lawyer

The Supreme Court’s new term was opened on Monday by raising the question of how long a prisoner’s request for a lawyer should be valid – in terms of years. The Supreme Court reviewed a recent defense that police should not be allowed to question a prisoner with no lawyer present who had requested a lawyer in a case (related or unrelated) some years previous.

The case is that of Michael Shatzer, who was imprisoned on charges of child sexual abuse against his three-year-old son in 2003. When he requested a lawyer, the questioning ended. In 2006 Shatzer’s son was old enough to provide details – Shatzer was questioned again, waived his Miranda rights, made incriminating statements, and was convicted. Lower courts threw out this confession because he asked for an attorney when he had first been questioned three years previous.

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