Mitchell v. United States (1999)

Mitchell was told that by making a guilty plea she was waiving her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during the trial.The District Court ruled that as a result of her guilty plea, Mitchell had forfeited the right to remain silent about the crime's details.The District Court accepted the testimony of her co-defendants' that put her over the five-kilogram threshold and that therefore the 10-year minimum sentence was mandated.It also held that the trial court may not draw adverse inference by the defendant's silence while facts bearing upon the severity of the sentence are considered.In addition, had the court allowed for an inference to be made from silence, suspicions would then inherently supersede and contradict the principle that defendants are innocent until proven guilty.
Mitchell v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United StatesL. Ed. 2dU.S. LEXIS3d Cir.certiorariFifth AmendmentWilliam RehnquistJohn P. StevensSandra Day O'ConnorAntonin ScaliaAnthony KennedyDavid SouterClarence ThomasRuth Bader GinsburgStephen BreyerU.S. Const. amend. V18 U.S.C.United States Supreme Courtdefendantself-incriminationFederal District Courtguilty pleaprivilegeconspiracycocaineprisonList of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 526List of United States Supreme Court casesLists of United States Supreme Court cases by volumeUnited States Fifth Amendmentcriminal procedureGrand JuryHurtado v. CaliforniaEx parte BainWong Wing v. United StatesMaxwell v. DowUnited States v. MorelandBeck v. WashingtonUnited States v. CottonDouble Jeopardy ClauseBlockburger v. United StatesGrady v. CorbinUnited States v. FelixUnited States v. DixonUnited States v. RandenbushBurton v. United StatesFong Foo v. United StatesAshe v. SwensonBurks v. United StatesEvans v. MichiganBravo-Fernandez v. United StatesMcElrath v. GeorgiaUnited States v. WilsonLudwig v. MassachusettsSmith v. United StatesUnited States v. PerezUnited States v. JornUnited States v. DinitzOregon v. KennedyBlueford v. ArkansasBartkus v. IllinoisWaller v. FloridaUnited States v. WheelerHeath v. AlabamaUnited States v. LaraPuerto Rico v. Sanchez ValleGamble v. United StatesDenezpi v. United StatesEx parte BigelowPalko v. ConnecticutLouisiana ex rel. Francis v. ResweberBaxstrom v. HeroldNorth Carolina v. PearceBenton v. MarylandSelf-Incrimination ClauseUnited States v. SullivanGriffin v. CaliforniaMiranda v. ArizonaWilliams v. FloridaEdwards v. ArizonaOregon v. ElstadIllinois v. PerkinsMcNeil v. WisconsinUnited States v. HubbellDickerson v. United StatesChavez v. MartinezYarborough v. AlvaradoMissouri v. SeibertUnited States v. PataneFlorida v. PowellMaryland v. ShatzerBerghuis v. ThompkinsJ. D. B. v. North CarolinaBobby v. DixonHowes v. FieldsSalinas v. TexasVega v. Tekoh