yarborough warden alvarado argued march decided june respondent alvarado helped paul soto try steal truck leading death truck owner alvarado called interview los angeles detective comstock alvarado years old time parents brought station waited lobby interview comstock took alvarado small room two present interview lasted two hours alvarado given warning miranda arizona although first denied present shooting alvarado slowly began change story finally admitting helped soto try steal victim truck hide gun murder comstock twice asked alvarado needed break interview returned parents drove home california charged alvarado murder attempted robbery trial denied motion suppress interview statements miranda grounds affirming alvarado conviction district appeal hereinafter state ruled miranda warning required alvarado custody interview test articulated thompson keohane requires consider circumstances surrounding interrogation determine whether reasonable person felt liberty leave federal district agreed state habeas review ninth circuit reversed holding state erred failing account alvarado youth inexperience evaluating whether reasonable person position felt free leave interview noting considered suspect juvenile status criminal law contexts see haley ohio appeals held state error warranted habeas relief antiterrorism effective death penalty act aedpa resulted decision involved unreasonable application clearly established federal law determined held state considered proper factors reached reasonable conclusion alvarado custody miranda purposes police interview pp aedpa requires federal courts consider whether decision involved unreasonable application clearly established law clearly established law refers holdings opposed dicta decisions time relevant decision williams taylor miranda custody test objective test two discrete inquiries essential circumstances surrounding interrogation given circumstances whether reasonable person felt free terminate interrogation leave players lines actions reconstructed must apply objective test resolve ultimate inquiry formal arrest restraint freedom movement degree associated formal arrest thompson pp adjudication involve unreasonable application clearly established law concluded alvarado custody meaning unreasonable depend part specificity relevant legal rule rule specific range reasonable judgment may narrow applications rule may plainly correct incorrect rules general meaning must emerge application time general rule leeway courts reaching outcomes case case determinations cf wright west jurists disagree whether alvarado custody custody test general state application law fits within matrix prior decisions certain facts weigh finding alvarado custody police transport station require appear particular time cf oregon mathiason threaten suggest placed arrest ibid parents remained lobby interview suggesting interview brief see berkemer mccarty comstock appealed alvarado interest telling truth helpful police officer cf mathiason comstock twice asked alvarado wanted take break end interview alvarado went home ibid facts point opposite direction comstock interviewed alvarado police station interview lasted times longer interview mathiason comstock tell alvarado free leave brought station legal guardians rather arriving accord parents allegedly asked present interview rebuffed given differing indications state application custody standard reasonable indeed number facts echo mathiason per curiam summary reversal found clear suspect custody pp state failure consider alvarado age inexperience provide proper basis finding state decision unreasonable application clearly established law opinions applying miranda custody test mentioned suspect age much less mandated consideration indications opinions relevant suspect experience law enforcement rejected reliance factors see berkemer supra therefore improper appeals grant relief basis state failure consider important conceptual difference miranda test line cases contexts considering age experience miranda custody inquiry objective test see thompson supra furthers clarity miranda rule berkemer ensuring police need gues circumstances issue deciding may interrogate suspect objective inquiry reasonably viewed different doctrinal tests depend actual mindset particular suspect consider suspect age experience concluding factors also apply miranda custody inquiry ninth circuit ignored argument inquiry objective rule designed give clear guidance police consideration suspect individual characteristics including age viewed creating subjective inquiry cf mathiason supra reliance alvarado prior history law enforcement improper deferential standard also de novo matter cases police know suspect interrogation history see berkemer supra even relationship suspect experiences likelihood reasonable person experience feel free leave often speculative officers asked consider contingent psychological factors deciding suspects advised miranda rights see berkemer supra pp reversed kennedy delivered opinion rehnquist scalia thomas joined filed concurring opinion breyer filed dissenting opinion stevens souter ginsburg joined michael yarborough warden petitioner michael alvarado writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june justice kennedy delivered opinion antiterrorism effective death penalty act aedpa stat federal grant application writ habeas corpus behalf person held pursuant judgment adjudication resulted decision contrary involved unreasonable application clearly established federal law determined appeals ninth circuit ruled state unreasonably applied clearly established law held respondent custody miranda purposes alvarado hickman disagree reverse paul soto respondent michael alvarado attempted steal truck parking lot shopping mall santa fe springs california soto alvarado part larger group teenagers mall night soto decided steal truck alvarado agreed help soto pulled magnum approached driver francisco castaneda standing near truck emptying trash dumpster soto demanded money ignition keys castaneda alvarado five months short birthday approached passenger side door truck crouched castaneda refused comply soto demands soto shot castaneda killing alvarado helped hide soto gun los angeles county sheriff detective cheryl comstock led investigation circumstances castaneda death month shooting comstock left word alvarado house also contacted alvarado mother work message wished speak alvarado alvarado parents brought pico rivera sheriff station interviewed around lunchtime waited lobby alvarado went comstock interviewed alvarado contends parents asked present interview rebuffed comstock brought alvarado small interview room began interviewing interview lasted two hours recorded comstock alvarado knowledge comstock alvarado present alvarado given warning miranda arizona comstock began interview asking alvarado recount events night shooting night alvarado explained drinking alcohol friend house friends acquaintances hours part group went home rest walked nearby mall use public telephones alvarado initial telling end group went back friend home went bed app unpersuaded comstock pressed okay real good point everything said pretty accurate till point except left shooting shooting uh huh shooting well never seen shooting well afraid never seen shooting well beg differ told quite opposite witnesses saying quite opposite seen shooting take deep breath like told best thing honest ca many people get involved murder expect going tell truth okay granted maybe one person might able keep fingers crossed say god hope tell truth problem tell truth okay simply giving opportunity tell truth got many people telling story sudden tell something way far fetched different punctuation added point alvarado slowly began change story first acknowledged present carjacking occurred claimed know happened gun hesitated say comstock tried encourage alvarado discuss happened appealing sense honesty need bring man shot castaneda justice see hat looking see tell truth know difficult comes time dime somebody parent mother brother sister darn well want killer go jail one right take someone life like alvarado admitted helped man try steal truck standing near passenger side door next admitted man paul soto knew soto armed helped hide gun murder alvarado explained expected soto scare driver gun expect soto kill anyone toward end interview comstock twice asked alvarado needed take break alvarado declined interview comstock returned alvarado lobby sheriff station parents waiting alvarado father drove home months later state california charged soto alvarado murder attempted robbery citing miranda supra alvarado moved suppress statements comstock interview trial denied motion ground interview noncustodial app alvarado soto tried together alvarado testified defense offered innocent explanation conduct testifying happened standing parking lot mall gun went nearby government relied alvarado statement comstock alvarado admitted made statements denied others alvarado denied particular statements prosecution countered playing excerpts audio recording interview alvarado agreed interview comstock pretty friendly conversation sort free flow alvarado detective comstock alvarado feel coerced threatened way interview ibid jury convicted soto alvarado murder attempted robbery trial judge later reduced alvarado conviction murder comparatively minor role offense judge sentenced soto life prison alvarado direct appeal second appellate district appeal hereinafter state affirmed people soto cal app cal rptr unpublished relevant part state rejected alvarado contention statements comstock excluded trial miranda warnings given ruled alvarado custody interview warning required state relied upon custody test articulated thompson keohane requires consider circumstances surrounding interrogation determine whether reasonable person felt liberty leave state reviewed facts comstock interview concluded alvarado custody app pet cert emphasized absence intense aggressive tactics noted comstock told alvarado leave california denied discretionary review alvarado filed petition writ habeas corpus district central district california district agreed state alvarado custody miranda purposes interview alvarado hickman ed app pet cert minimum district added deferential standard review provided foreclosed relief app pet cert appeals ninth circuit reversed alvarado hickman first appeals held state erred failing account alvarado youth inexperience evaluating whether reasonable person position felt free leave noted considered suspect juvenile status evaluating voluntariness confessions waiver privilege see citing inter alia haley ohio gault appeals held light authorities alvarado age experience must factor miranda custody inquiry minor criminal record likely feel coerced police tactics conclude arrest experienced adult appeals reasoned required extra safeguards commensurate age circumstances juvenile defendant see according appeals effect alvarado age inexperience substantial turned interview custodial interrogation appeals next considered whether alvarado obtain relief light deference federal must give determination habeas review deference required aedpa bar relief appeals held relevance juvenile status case law whole compelled extension principle juvenile status relevant context miranda custody determinations light clearly established law considering juvenile status simply unreasonable conclude reasonable prior history arrest police interviews felt liberty terminate interrogation leave internal quotation marks omitted granted certiorari ii begin determining relevant clearly established law purposes clearly established law determined refers holdings opposed dicta decisions time relevant decision williams taylor look governing legal principle principles set forth time state renders decision lockyer andrade miranda held preinterrogation warnings required context custodial interrogations given compulsion inherent custodial surroundings explained custodial interrogation meant questioning initiated law enforcement officers person taken custody otherwise deprived freedom action significant way miranda decision provide opportunity apply test set facts miranda first applied custody test oregon mathiason per curiam mathiason police officer contacted suspect burglary victim identified officer arranged meet suspect nearby police station outset questioning officer stated belief suspect involved burglary arrest interview suspect admitted guilt allowed leave held questioning custodial indication questioning took place context suspect freedom depart restricted way noted suspect come voluntarily police station informed arrest allowed leave end interview ibid california beheler per curiam reached result case facts similar mathiason beheler state distinguished mathiason based described differences totality circumstances police interviewed beheler shortly crime occurred beheler drinking earlier day emotionally distraught well known police parolee knew necessary cooperate police agreed circumstances case must certainly influence custody determination reemphasized ultimate inquiry simply whether formal arrest restraint freedom movement degree associated formal arrest internal quotation marks omitted found case indistinguishable mathiason noted much police knew suspect much time elapsed crime occurred irrelevant custody inquiry recent cases instruct custody must determined based reasonable person suspect situation perceive circumstances berkemer mccarty police officer stopped suspected drunk driver asked questions although officer reached decision arrest driver beginning traffic stop driver failed sobriety test acknowledged drinking beer smoking marijuana held traffic stop noncustodial despite officer intent arrest communicated intent driver policeman unarticulated plan bearing question whether suspect custody particular time explained relevant inquiry reasonable man suspect position understood situation ibid cited new york state case view objective test preferable subjective test part upon police burden anticipating frailties idiosyncrasies every person question quoting people stansbury california per curiam confirmed analytical framework stansbury explained initial determination custody depends objective circumstances interrogation subjective views harbored either interrogating officers person questioned courts must examine circumstances surrounding interrogation determine reasonable person position individual questioned gauge breadth freedom action internal quotation marks alteration omitted finally thompson keohane offered following description miranda custody test two discrete inquiries essential determination first circumstances surrounding interrogation second given circumstances reasonable person felt liberty terminate interrogation leave scene set players lines actions reconstructed must apply objective test resolve ultimate inquiry formal arrest restraint freedom movement degree associated formal arrest internal quotation marks omitted turn case us ask adjudication claim involved unreasonable application clearly established law concluded alvarado custody see williams kennedy concurring judgment based principles conclude state application clearly established law reasonable ignoring deferential standard moment said jurists disagree whether alvarado custody one hand certain facts weigh finding alvarado custody police transport alvarado station require appear particular time cf mathiason threaten suggest placed arrest ibid alvarado parents remained lobby interview suggesting interview brief see berkemer fact according trial counsel alvarado parents told interview going long app interview comstock focused soto crimes rather alvarado instead pressuring alvarado threat arrest prosecution appealed interest telling truth helpful police officer cf mathiason addition comstock twice asked alvarado wanted take break end interview alvarado went home ibid objective facts consistent interrogation environment reasonable person felt free terminate interview leave indeed number facts echo mathiason per curiam summary reversal found clear facts suspect custody ibid facts point opposite direction comstock interviewed alvarado police station interview lasted two hours four times longer interview mathiason unlike officer mathiason comstock tell alvarado free leave alvarado brought police station legal guardians rather arriving accord making extent control presence unclear counsel alvarado alleges alvarado parents asked present interview rebuffed fact known alvarado might reasonably led someone alvarado position feel restricted otherwise facts weigh favor view alvarado custody differing indications lead us hold state application custody standard reasonable appeals nowhere close mark concluded otherwise although question unreasonable application law might difficult cases difficult custody test general state application law fits within matrix prior decisions grant relief aedpa conducting independent inquiry whether state correct de novo matter federal habeas may issue writ simply concludes independent judgment decision applied law incorrectly woodford visciotti per curiam relief available state decision objectively unreasonable see williams supra andrade standard relief granted iii appeals reached opposite result placing considerable reliance alvarado age inexperience law enforcement stated suspect age experience relevant miranda custody analysis counsel alvarado press importance either factor direct appeal habeas proceedings according appeals however emphasis juvenile status contexts demanded consideration alvarado age inexperience appeals viewed state failure extend clearly established legal principle relevance juvenile status new context objectively unreasonable case requiring issuance writ quoting anthony cambra petitioner contends habeas must extend rationale apply facts hand rationale clearly established time decision brief petitioner see also hawkins alabama asserting similar argument force argument section undermined habeas courts introduced rules clearly established guise extensions existing law cf teague lane time difference applying rule extending always clear certain principles fundamental enough new factual permutations arise necessity apply earlier rule beyond doubt case however opinions applying miranda custody test mentioned suspect age much less mandated consideration indications opinions relevant suspect experience law enforcement rejected reliance factors see beheler rejecting lower view defendant prior interview police relevant custody inquiry berkemer supra citing people noted difficulties subjective test require police frailties idiosyncrasies every person describing suspect criminal past police record circumstance unknowable police important conceptual difference miranda custody test line cases contexts considering age experience miranda custody inquiry objective test stated keohane nce scene set players lines actions reconstructed must apply objective test resolve ultimate inquiry internal quotation marks omitted objective test furthers clarity miranda rule berkemer ensuring police need make guesses circumstances issue deciding may interrogate suspect sure line permissible objective facts impermissible subjective experiences indistinct cases possible subsume subjective factor objective test making latter specific formulation thus appeals styled inquiry objective test considering reasonable prior history arrest police interviews perceive case time objective miranda custody inquiry reasonably viewed different doctrinal tests depend actual mindset particular suspect consider suspect age experience example voluntariness statement often said depend whether defendant overborne lynumn illinois question logically depend characteristics accused schneckloth bustamonte characteristics accused include suspect age education intelligence see well suspect prior experience law enforcement see lynumn supra concluding principled reason factors also apply miranda custody inquiry appeals ignored argument custody inquiry objective rule designed give clear guidance police consideration suspect individual characteristics including age viewed creating subjective inquiry cf mathiason noting facts arguably relevant whether environment coercive may nothing whether respondent custody purposes miranda rule reasons state failure consider alvarado age provide proper basis finding state decision unreasonable application clearly established law indeed reliance alvarado prior history law enforcement improper deferential standard also de novo matter cases police officers know suspect interrogation history see berkemer supra even relationship suspect past experiences likelihood reasonable person experience feel free leave often speculative true suspects prior law enforcement experience may understand police procedures reasonably feel free leave unless told otherwise hand may view past prologue expect another string arrests ask police officers consider contingent psychological factors deciding suspects advised miranda rights see berkemer supra inquiry turns much suspect subjective state mind enough objective circumstances interrogation stansbury state considered proper factors reached reasonable conclusion judgment appeals reversed michael yarborough warden petitioner michael alvarado writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june justice concurring join opinion write separately express additional reason reversal may cases suspect age relevant miranda custody inquiry case however alvarado almost years old time interview difficult expect police recognize suspect juvenile close age majority even police know suspect age may difficult ascertain bearing likelihood suspect feel free leave especially true vary widely reactions police questioning many expected behave adults given difficulties agree state decision case called unreasonable application federal law simply failed explicitly mention alvarado age michael yarborough warden petitioner michael alvarado writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june justice breyer justice stevens justice souter justice ginsburg join dissenting view michael alvarado clearly custody police questioned without miranda warnings murder francisco castaneda put question terms federal law legal standards reasonable person alvarado position felt liberty terminate interrogation leave thompson keohane stansbury california per curiam must answer question light circumstances surrounding interrogation obvious answer law case asks judges apply arcane complex legal directives ordinary common sense reasonable person alvarado position felt free simply get walk small room station house police interrogation ask reader put alvarado circumstances answer question alvarado hears parents needed police questioning parents take station arrival police officer separates parents parents ask come along officer says may app another officer says going question suspect police take alvarado small interrogation room away station public area single officer begins question making clear process police evidence participated attempted carjacking connected murder says never saw shooting officer suggests lying adding giving opportunity tell truth tak care self toward end questioning officer gives permission take bathroom water break two hours time admitted involved attempted theft knew gun helped hide questioning ends reasonable person circumstances brought police station parents police request put small interrogation room questioned solid two hours confronted claims strong evidence participated serious crime thought well anytime want leave get walk person harbored doubts still think might free leave recalls police officer refused let parents remain questioning still think rather officer controls situation one possible answer questions reasonable person thought free simply pick leave middle interrogation believe california courts clearly wrong hold contrary ninth circuit right concluding state courts unreasonably applied clearly established federal law see majority view jurists disagree whether alvarado custody ante consider facts says weigh finding custody police transport alvarado station require appear particular time ibid true parents brought station police request matter relevant question whether alvarado came station free submitted questioning voluntarily cf oregon mathiason per curiam california beheler per curiam thompson supra thomas dissenting involvement alvarado parents suggests involuntary voluntary behavior alvarado part alvarado parents remained lobby interview suggesting interview brief fact alvarado parents told interview going long ante citation omitted whatever communicated alvarado questioning began fact interview brief first half hour alvarado expected brief relevant considerations see berkemer mccarty end interview alvarado went home ante majority acknowledges recent case law makes clear relevant question reasonable person gauged freedom leave interview see ante citing stansbury supra interview officer comstock focused soto crimes rather alvarado ante fact police officer characterized soto ringleader making clear knew alvarado participated attempted carjacking castaneda killed see app questioning reinforced diminished alvarado fear simply witness also suspected involved serious crime see stansbury officer pressur alvarado threat arrest prosecution instead appealed interest telling truth helpful police officer ante factor might highly significant question one coercion question whether alvarado felt free terminate interrogation leave respect question police politeness commendable significantly help majority comstock twice asked alvarado wanted take break ibid circumstance emphasizing officer control alvarado movements makes less likely likely alvarado thought free leave facts majority points make clear police example come alvarado house tell arrest handcuff place locked cell threaten tell explicitly free leave important police namely alvarado parents bring station put single officer small room keep parents let know suspect question two hours latter facts compel single conclusion reasonable person alvarado circumstances felt free terminate interrogation leave alvarado youth fact alvarado helps show unlikely felt free ignore parents request come station see schall martin juveniles assumed subject control parents likely say take police officer assertion authority keep parents outside room assertion authority keep child inside well majority suggests law might prevent judge taking account fact alvarado see ante find nothing law supports conclusion cases instruct lower courts apply reasonable person standard reasonable person standard require pretend alvarado aging parents whose children parents ask respect say pretend alvarado statistically determined average person working married white female high school degree see dept commerce bureau census statistical abstract rather precise legal definition reasonable person may depending legal context appropriately account certain personal characteristics negligence suits example question reasonable person similar circumstances answering question courts enjoy latitude may make allowance external facts sometimes certain characteristics actor including physical disability youth advanced age keeton dobbs keeton owen prosser keeton law torts pp ed see see also restatement third torts comment pp tent draft mar american jurisdictions count person childhood relevant circumstance negligence determinations allowance makes sense light tort standard recognized purpose deterrence given purpose pretend child adult blind man see see holmes common law howe ed present context miranda custody inquiry law introduced concept reasonable person avoid judicial inquiry subjective mind focus inquiry instead upon objective circumstances known officer suspect likely relevant way person understand situation see stansbury supra berkemer focus helps keep miranda workable rule see berkemer supra case alvarado youth objective circumstance known police special quality rather widely shared characteristic generates commonsense conclusions behavior perception focus circumstance age case like complicate custody inquiry say courts ignore widely shared objective characteristics like age ground large minority population possesses produce absurd results present instance case point surprised majority points case suggesting limitation cf alvarado hickman case listing cases different jurisdictions suggesting contrary surprised majority makes real argument explaining believe objective fact suspect age never relevant see ante concurring may cases suspect age relevant miranda inquiry majority discuss suspect history law enforcement ante bright red herring present context alvarado youth objective fact simply helps show help legal presumption appearance police station voluntary see supra ii said law case clear cases establish even police tell suspect arrest handcuff lock cell threaten may nonetheless reasonably believe free leave place questioning thus custody miranda purposes see stansbury berkemer supra cases also make clear determine suspect gaug ed freedom movement must carefully examine circumstances surrounding interrogation stansbury supra internal quotation marks omitted including example long interrogation lasted brief routine protracted see berkemer supra suspect came questioned voluntarily see mathiason questioning took place police station public see berkemer supra officer communicated individual interrogation suspect arrest free leave see stansbury supra present case every one factors argues argues strongly alvarado custody miranda purposes police questioned common sense understanding law basic purpose area enough make clear alvarado age objective widely shared characteristic police plainly knew also relevant inquiry cf kaupp texas per curiam unless one prepared pretend alvarado someone gentleman police practices seems clear california courts made serious mistake agree ninth circuit similar conclusions consequently dissent