What happens if a suspect asserts their right to counsel under Miranda?

• A. Interrogation must stop until counsel is provided or the suspect initiates further contact.
• B. Interrogation continues until a confession.
• C. Counsel must be present for the entire interrogation but not required at the outset.
• D. The suspect can be questioned for a short time without counsel.

Answer: (B)

When a suspect asserts the right to counsel, the interrogation must stop. This protection comes from Miranda and the Edwards rule, which require officers to pause questioning once the right to counsel is clearly invoked. The only way questioning can begin again is if the suspect initiates further contact with the police, or after the suspect has had a chance to consult with counsel and then voluntarily waives those rights again. In practice, this means officers cannot press for answers or continue the interrogation until a lawyer is present or until the suspect themselves starts the conversation again with a clear waiver.

This prevents any pressure or coercion while the suspect considers legal advice and ensures any subsequent statements are truly voluntary. The idea that interrogation continues to a confession or that counsel must be present for the entire interrogation, or that brief questioning without counsel is allowed after invocation, does not fit how the right to counsel is protected under Miranda.