New York v. Quarles

467 U.S. 649, (1984)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

A woman told officers that she was raped, that her assailant went into a supermarket, and that he had a gun. Officers apprehended Quarles (D) in the rear of the store. The first officer frisked D and found an empty shoulder holster. After handcuffing D, the officer asked where the gun was. D responded, 'The gun is over there' while he nodded to some empty cartons. The officer found the loaded revolver in one of the cartons. The officer read D his Miranda rights. D waived those rights and then stated that he owned the revolver and had purchased it in Miami. D was tried for criminal possession of a weapon. The New York courts suppressed the statement 'the gun is over there' as well as the gun itself because they were obtained in violation of D's Miranda rights. The courts also excluded his statements about the ownership of the gun and the place of purchase as having been fatally tainted by the seizure of the gun and D's response about its location. The State (P) appealed. The State courts affirmed and the Supreme Court granted certiorari.