20. Privilege Against Compelled Self-Incrimination Flashcards
true or false: the 5th amendment privilege against compelled self incrimination can be asserted by ANY person in ANY type of case
TRUE (not just for criminal defendants in criminal cases – though that’s the most common)
true or false: corporations and partnerships can also assert the privilege as well as people.
FALSE (only NATURAL persons may assert the privilege)
when may the 5th amendment privilege be asserted?
whenever a person’s response to a question might furnish a link in the chain of evidence needed to prosecute them
**NOTE = must be claimed in civil proceedings to prevent it from being waived in a later criminal case
what specific party has a right not to take the stand at trial/not be asked to do so?
ONLY the criminal defendant (any other party may be sworn in as a witness/asked questions without violating the privilege)
true or false: furnishing one’s name after a Terry stop DOES violate the 5th amendment privilege against self incrimination.
FALSE (generally this poses no danger of incrimination)
what specific kind of evidence does the 5th amendment protect?
ONLY testimonial/communicative evidence
what makes a communication “testimonial” evidence?
when that communication relates a factual assertion or discloses information
true or false: the prosecution cannot compel evidence of a person’s blood samples, handwriting, voice, and hair under the privilege against self incrimination.
FALSE (this is NON-testimonial evidence that the prosecution CAN compel without violating the privilege)
true or false: it is constitutionally valid for police to take a DNA cheek swab after an arrest for a serious crime (doesn’t violate 5th amendment).
TRUE
true or false: a person compelled by subpoena to produce documents with incriminating info generally has NO basis for asserting the privilege to refuse to comply with the subpoena.
TRUE (this is NOT testimonial evidence – the act of producing does not involve testimonial self incrimination)
true or false: the privilege does NOT protect against communications of incriminating information made in the past.
TRUE (only protects against being compelled to communicate presently)
when does a VIOLATION of the privilege occur?
only once a person’s compelled statements are USED AGAINST them in a criminal case
true or false: a prosecutor may NOT comment on a defendant’s silence after being arrested and read their Miranda warnings.
TRUE
true or false: generally, a prosecutor MAY comment on a defendant’s failure to testify at trial.
FALSE
what is the one situation where a prosecutor CAN comment on a defendant’s failure to testify at trial?
when their comment is in response to defense counsel’s assertion that the defendant was NOT allowed to tell their side of the story