The very day that Boston was paralyzed as law enforcement looked for a dangerous, armed, crazy man.
The very day that Bostonians were told to shelter in place, prisoners in their own homes…
The very day that planes could not fly over Boston…
The very day that Boston’s finest and FBI agents were applauded…
The very day that Boston exhaled a deep sigh of relief…
The media, having just seen the perp wheeled out on a gurney and shipped off to what I hope was hell but turned out to be a hospital, asked the FBI chief if they’d given the bloody remains of a human being his Miranda warnings.
And I said,
The US Attorney who had been logging long hours herself look for this lower than life character, this radical Islamist, said she had not yet done so citing the public safety exemption. A public safety exception such as, hey, Jahar, got any more bombs out there? Hey, Jahar, got any buddies out there with bombs? Hey, Jahar got any friends planning any more acts of terrorism? Hey, Jahar, who’s your bomb hook up?
But the media have proceeded apace in ignoring her.
I would like to ask these reporters: when were the cops supposed to give him his Miranda warning, exactly? Would that be when they approached the man they feared might be wearing a suicide vest? “Ollie, ollie oxen in come free! Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law..” Would it be when they tried to talk him into coming with them? ‘Hey, Jahar, give yourself up. You have the right to remain silent…” Would it be when he was able to speak (after healing from his self inflicted attempted suicide shot) so they could get on tape his grunt of agreement showing he understood he had a right to an attorney?
The media are making more of the Miranda issue than it warrants. There are exceptions to Miranda. Forget for a moment that the cops are absolutely on legally solid ground in not reading the terrorist his rights, ask yourself, doesn’t common also support them?
As Tom Durkin, a criminal defense (and terrorist) attorney said today, “This debate[over Miranda] has attracted more attention than we need to. There are so many exceptions to Miranda that it’s almost meaningless.” And then he added that after spending so many years in America, “I would be surprised if he [Johar] didn’t know he has a right to an attorney.”
