Arrest, Search, Seizure, Warrant Miranda Warnings over the phone

[jc14701]

My roommate just got off the phone with a police officer from PA for something that was not his fault. Before the officer hung up he apparently read my roommate his Miranda Rights over the phone. Can this be done and if so what does it mean for my roommate?

 

[jacksgal]

It means the Police suspect him of a crime in my view:yes:

 

[CdwJava]

It's absolutely unnecessary to read someone their rights over the phone as NO argument can possibly be made that the person at the other end of the phone is in custody. If the officer chose to do that, he can ... I doubt I ever would.

And ... the officer read him his rights just before he hung up the phone?

Uh ... how does he know this person was a police officer??

- Carl

 

[jc14701]

Our caller ID reads that it is coming from a PA police station, and we have called back and asked for Officer X (obvious name removal) and get patched right through. What else upsets me is this officer got and called my girlfriends cell phone number looking for him. She was nowhere near him at the time of the supposed crime.

 

[jacksgal]

A law Enforcement Officer can contact anyone in their pursuit to locate a witiness or suspect

 

[CdwJava]

Yep. They are free to call anyone who might be a witness or a party to a crime.

I'm entirely baffled as to why read Miranda in a phone conversation - especially at the end of it - but, perhaps it's a local protocol thing as there is no legal need to do so.

- carl