Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20001-5403

Phone (202) 842 0200
Fax (202) 842 3490
Contact Us
Support Cato

For Media

News Release

June 21, 2004

Media Contact: (202) 789-5200

High court: There is no 'right to remain silent'
In 'misguided' 5-4 decision, Supreme Court deals blow to civil liberties

WASHINGTON--The Supreme Court today issued its long-awaited decision in the matter of Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District. Larry "Dudley" Hiibel broke a Nevada law when he refused to give his name to a policeman. After his conviction, for that offense and no others, Hiibel took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Nevada law violated his constitutional right to remain silent. Hiibel's conviction has now been upheld by the Court.

Tim Lynch, who directs the Cato Institute's Project on Criminal Justice, filed a legal brief on Hiibel's behalf. Lynch had the following comments on the ruling:

"Today, the Supreme Court ruled that the government can turn a person's silence into a criminal offense. This ruling is profoundly misguided. Over and over again, the Supreme Court has stressed that citizens must either assert their rights or those rights will be lost. But with this ruling on the books, ordinary Americans will be hopelessly confused about when they can assert their right to 'remain silent' without being jailed like Mr. Hiibel. The Supreme Court has put its imprimatur on a catch-22 legal trap."

To speak with Lynch about the Hiibel decision, please contact the Cato Institute's media relations office at 202-789-5200.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Daily Podcast
Sen. Rand Paul - Henry Clay, Cassius Clay and Political Compromise
1234

Media Contacts

Media Relations Department
(202) 789-5200,

Leigh Harrington, Director of Broadcasting
(202) 789-5204,

Chris Kennedy, Director of Media Relations
(202) 789-5212,

Isabel Santa, Media Relations Manager
(202) 789-5263,

Colin McLain, Media Relations Manager
(202) 218-4613,

Lester Romero, Multimedia Coordinator
(202) 789-5228,

Caleb Brown, Multimedia Producer
(202) 218-4603,

Brian Haynesworth, Audio Visual Assistant
(202) 789-5237,

Andrew Mast, Senior Web Strategist
(202) 789-5284,  

Upcoming Studies

"The American Welfare State: How We Spend Nearly $1 Trillion Per Year Fighting Poverty -- and Fail," by Michael D. Tanner


"Competition in Currency: The Potential for Private Money," by Thomas Hogan