COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that state law doesn't entitle minors the right to an attorney during police interrogations that come before charges are filed or an initial appearance in juvenile court.
The 4-3 ruling on Wednesday stems from a case involving a minor who was stopped by a Cleveland police officer while driving without a valid license. The minor later told police about his role in a robbery and waived his constitutional rights.
The minor's attorneys argued his statement shouldn't have been admitted into evidence because police didn't provide him with a lawyer first. They cited a part of state law that requires juveniles to have legal counsel "at all stages of proceedings" in a delinquency case.
The majority opinion says the term "proceedings" doesn't include investigatory action.
