spano new york argued april decided june petitioner young man education previous criminal record indicted murder retained counsel surrendered police subjected persistent continuous questioning assistant prosecutor numerous police officers virtually eight hours confessed repeatedly requested denied opportunity consult counsel trial state confession admitted evidence objection convicted sentenced death held record case petitioner overborne official pressure fatigue sympathy falsely aroused confession voluntary admission evidence violated due process clause fourteenth amendment pp reversed herbert siegal argued cause petitioner brief rita schechter irving anolik argued cause respondent brief daniel sullivan walter dillon chief justice warren delivered opinion another long line cases presenting question whether confession properly admitted evidence fourteenth amendment cases forced resolve conflict two fundamental interests society interest prompt efficient law enforcement interest preventing rights individual members abridged unconstitutional methods law enforcement delicate nature constitutional determination must make escape responsibility making examination record norris alabama state evidence reveals following petitioner vincent joseph spano derivative citizen country born messina italy years old time shooting question graduated junior high school record regular employment shooting took place january day petitioner drinking bar decedent former professional boxer weighing almost pounds fought madison square garden took petitioner money bar petitioner followed bar recover fight ensued decedent knocking petitioner kicking head three four times shock force blows caused petitioner vomit bartender applied ice head petitioner left bar walked apartment secured gun walked eight nine blocks candy store decedent frequently found entered store decedent three friends decedent least two boy supervising store present fired five shots two entered decedent body causing death boy eyewitness three friends decedent see person fired shot petitioner disappeared next week february bronx county grand jury returned indictment murder petitioner accordingly bench warrant issued arrest commanding forthwith brought answer indictment adjourned term delivered custody sheriff bronx county see code crim proc february petitioner called one gaspar bruno close friend years standing attended school bruno fledgling police officer time yet finished attending police academy according bruno testimony petitioner told took terrific beating deceased hurt real bad dropped couple times dazed know went shot petitioner told bruno intended get lawyer give bruno relayed information superiors following day february petitioner accompanied counsel surrendered authorities front bronx county building office assistant district attorney ultimately prosecuted case courtroom ultimately tried located attorney cautioned answer questions left custody officers promptly taken office assistant district attorney questioning began conducted assistant district attorney goldsmith gannon detectives farrell lehrer motta sgt clarke record reveals questioning persistent continuous petitioner accordance attorney instructions steadfastly refused answer detective motta testified refused talk looked ceiling refused talk detective farrell testified started interrogate right say said see attorney tell nothing name continue examine verbally yes sir morning february five hours questioning became evident petitioner following attorney instructions assistant district attorney orders petitioner transferred squad ryer avenue police station assistant district attorney also went police station extent continued participate interrogation petitioner arrived questioning resumed character questioning revealed testimony detective farrell leave room detective lehrer sergeant clarke came goldsmith came inspector halk came back forth people came spoke words defendant listened minutes left charge investigation decided petitioner close friend bruno use called case around although connected squad precinct way although fact job way threatened bruno told tell petitioner petitioner telephone call gotten lot trouble seek extract sympathy petitioner bruno pregnant wife three children bruno developed theme petitioner without success petitioner also without success sought see attorney request bruno relayed unavailingly superiors first session petitioner bruno directed gannon play petitioner sympathies confession forthcoming lieutenant third time ordered bruno falsely importune friend confess petitioner clung attorney advice inevitably fourth session directed lieutenant lasting full hour petitioner succumbed friend prevarications agreed make statement accordingly assistant district attorney stenographer several law enforcement officials entered room petitioner questioned took statement question answer form assistant district attorney asking questions statement completed end three detectives took petitioner police headquarters manhattan way attempted find bridge petitioner said thrown murder weapon crossed triborough bridge manhattan arriving police headquarters left manhattan bronx via willis avenue bridge petitioner recognized neither bridge one thrown weapon reentered manhattan via third avenue bridge petitioner stated right one returned bronx well trip officers also elicited statement petitioner deceased always back always pushing sorry shot deceased three detectives testified statement trial opened morning petitioner arraigned trial confession introduced evidence appropriate objections jury instructed rely found voluntary jury returned guilty verdict petitioner sentenced death new york appeals affirmed conviction three dissents granted certiorari resolve serious problem presented fourteenth amendment petitioner first contention absolute right counsel capital case powell alabama became operative return indictment time every sense defendant criminal case grand jury found sufficient cause believe committed crime argues accordingly following indictment confession obtained absence counsel used without violating fourteenth amendment seeks distinguish crooker california cicenia lagay ground cases indictment returned find unnecessary reach contention find use confession obtained inconsistent fourteenth amendment traditional principles abhorrence society use involuntary confessions turn alone inherent untrustworthiness also turns feeling police must obey law enforcing law end life liberty much endangered illegal methods used convict thought criminals actual criminals accordingly actions police obtaining confessions come scrutiny long series cases cases suggest recent years law enforcement officials become increasingly aware burden share along courts protecting fundamental rights citizenry including portion citizenry suspected crime facts case recently quite approached brutal beatings brown mississippi consecutive hours questioning present ashcraft tennessee law enforcement officers become responsible methods used extract confessions sophisticated duty enforce federal constitutional protections cease becomes difficult delicate judgments made judgment facts conviction stand petitioner young man past history law violation subjection official interrogation least insofar record shows progressed year high school record indicates history emotional instability make narrative statement subject leading questions skillful prosecutor question answer confession subjected questioning men many included assistant district attorney goldsmith one hyland district attorney office deputy inspector halks lieutenant gannon detective ciccone detective motta detective lehrer detective marshal detective farrell detective leira detective murphy detective murtha sergeant clarke patrolman bruno stenographer baldwin played part effect massive official interrogation must felt petitioner questioned virtually eight straight hours confessed respite transfer arena presumably considered appropriate police task hand questioning conducted normal business hours began early evening continued night bear fruition morning drama played final admissions obtained almost sunrise circumstances slowly mounting fatigue calculated play part questioners persisted face repeated refusals answer advice attorney ignored reasonable requests contact local attorney already retained personally delivered custody officers obedience bench warrant use bruno characterized counsel state childhood friend petitioner another factor deserves mention totality situation bruno one face visible petitioner put trust bond friendship going back decade adolescence material officers felt overcome petitioner instructed bruno falsely state petitioner telephone call gotten trouble job jeopardy loss job disastrous three children wife unborn child bruno played part worried father harried superiors one four different acts final one lasting hour cf leyra denno petitioner apparently unaware john gay famous couplet open foe may prove curse pretended friend worse conclude petitioner overborne official pressure fatigue sympathy falsely aroused considering facts setting grand jury already found sufficient cause require petitioner face trial charge murder police eyewitness shooting police therefore merely trying solve crime even absolve suspect compare crooker california supra cicenia lagay supra rather concerned primarily securing statement defendant convict undeviating intent officers extract confession petitioner therefore patent intent shown held confession obtained must examined careful scrutiny reversed conviction facts less compelling malinski new york accordingly hold petitioner conviction stand fourteenth amendment state suggests however free reverse conviction since sufficient evidence record jury might found guilt relying stein new york payne arkansas authoritatively establishes stein hold conviction may sustained basis evidence confession found involuntary used even though limiting instructions given stein held confession found involuntary reverse ground jury might found involuntary might relied judgment must reversed footnotes cicenia lagay crooker california ashdown utah payne arkansas thomas arizona fikes alabama leyra denno stein new york brown allen stroble california gallegos nebraska johnson pennsylvania harris south carolina turner pennsylvania watts indiana lee mississippi haley ohio malinski new york lyons oklahoma ashcraft tennessee ward texas lisenba california vernon alabama lomax texas white texas canty alabama chambers florida brown mississippi medical reports new york city fordham hospital introduced defendant showed suffered cerebral concussion described private physician extremely nervous tense individual emotionally unstable maladjusted found unacceptable military service primarily psychiatric disorder failed army intelligence test mother mental hospitals three separate occasions name sometimes spelled hawks although referred separately record may detectives lehrer leira person lisenba california contrary petitioner already arraigned incest charge later questioning confession concerned murder justice douglas justice black justice brennan join concurring join opinion add even important ground decision often divided whether state authorities may question suspect hours end lawyer present demanded benefit legal advice see crooker california cases cited deal suspect man formally charged crime question whether indictment trial government interrogate accused secret asked lawyer request denied capital case rule powell alabama defendant entitled represented counsel representation counsel restricted trial stated powell alabama supra perhaps critical period proceedings defendants say time arraignment beginning trial consultation thoroughgoing investigation preparation vitally important defendants aid counsel real sense although much entitled aid period trial mere suspects secretly interrogated police crooker california supra witnesses questioned secret administrative judicial proceedings groban anonymous nos baker ante case accused scheduled tried judge jury tried preliminary way police kangaroo procedure whereby police produce vital evidence form confession useful necessary obtain conviction effect deny effective representation counsel seems flagrant violation principle announced powell alabama supra right counsel extends preparation trial well trial professor chafee said person accused crime needs lawyer right arrest probably time chafee documents fundamental human rights pamphlet deprived right indictment trial may indeed denied effective representation counsel stage legal aid advice help secret inquisition police defendant asked denied counsel serious invasion constitutional rights denial continuance order employ counsel held chandler fretag said avery alabama relevance denial opportunity appointed counsel confer consult accused prepare defense convert appointment counsel sham nothing formal compliance constitution requirement accused given assistance counsel justice stewart justice douglas justice brennan join concurring concur opinion view absence counsel confession elicited alone enough render inadmissible fourteenth amendment let emphasized outset case police questioning suspect course investigating unsolved crime see crooker california cicenia lagay petitioner surrendered new york authorities indictment first degree murder system justice indictment supposed followed arraignment trial every stage proceedings accused absolute right lawyer help case one death sentence may imposed powell alabama indeed right assistance counsel accused retained absolute whatever offense trial chandler fretag followed petitioner surrender case arraignment law inquisition prosecutor office police station automobile throughout night petitioner repeatedly asked allowed send lawyer requests repeatedly denied finally induced make confession confession used secure verdict sending electric chair constitution guarantees assistance counsel man trial life orderly courtroom presided judge open public protected procedural safeguards law surely constitution promises much vouchsafe less man midnight inquisition squad room police station