Sotomayor to Maryland's Attorney General on the questioning of criminal suspects

[usregimechange]

In the first argument on Monday, in a case about when questioning may resume after a criminal suspect asks for a lawyer, she fired nine questions in a row at Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler of Maryland. The questions methodically cut Mr. Gansler’s argument down to its essence.

“He said, ‘I don’t want to talk to you without a lawyer,’ correct?” Justice Sotomayor said of the suspect.

Mr. Gansler said yes.

“And the state doesn’t provide him with a lawyer, correct?” Justice Sotomayor went on.

“That’s correct,” Mr. Gansler said.

“All right,” Justice Sotomayor said, having cleared away the factual underbrush. “So what gives him an understanding that one will be provided the next time he’s questioned?”

Mr. Gansler did not respond directly, and Justice Sotomayor had made her point: the defendant should not be made to ask for a lawyer a second time when his first effort had yielded nothing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/us/10scotus.html?_r=1

[Suji to Seoul]

1. Game, set, match! Finally, a true Strict Constructionist on the SCOTUS,

not a conservative judicial activist like that asshat Scalia!

[annabanana]

2. OK Sonia!. .

We definately want MORE of this!

[usregimechange]

3. I wouldn't want to argue in front of her

[Hepburn]

8. Funny thing....

...unless I was an RW bigot asshole out to destroy the US Const, I would LOVE to argue a case before her!

:loveya:

[usregimechange]

4. Here is a link to the entire orals that day

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/08-680.pdf

[elleng]

6. Thanks for link to transcript, usregime!

[Catshrink]

5. She's actually been a judge in a courtroom

and it shows. Sure makes a difference, doesn't it? Theory vs. practice.

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Been a prosecutor, too, so she knows about following the rules.