Which scenario would constitute interrogation?

Which scenario would constitute interrogation?

• A. Police statements or actions reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response
• B. A single non-coercive question in a conference room
• C. A spontaneous confession by the suspect
• D. A suspect being read rights and choosing to stay silent

Answer: (B)

Interrogation means police-initiated questioning or actions intended to obtain an incriminating response from a suspect. A spontaneous confession happens without police prompting, so it isn’t interrogation. When rights are read and the suspect chooses to stay silent, that person is invoking their rights, not being probed by police. A single non-coercive question in a conference room is still an act of police-initiated questioning aimed at gathering information, even if the question itself is non-coercive. Because it involves the police seeking information and could be aimed at eliciting incriminating statements, it fits the idea of interrogation better than the other scenarios.

Interrogation means police-initiated questioning or actions intended to obtain an incriminating response from a suspect. A spontaneous confession happens without police prompting, so it isn’t interrogation. When rights are read and the suspect chooses to stay silent, that person is invoking their rights, not being probed by police. A single non-coercive question in a conference room is still an act of police-initiated questioning aimed at gathering information, even if the question itself is non-coercive. Because it involves the police seeking information and could be aimed at eliciting incriminating statements, it fits the idea of interrogation better than the other scenarios.