Self-Incrimination: Baltimore v. Bouknight

Ms. Coyle discussed two Supreme Court cases and the results of a recent National Law Journal/Lexis Poll. Among the topics covered was the case of Baltimore v. Bouknight, in which the Court ruled 7-2 that the Fifth Amendment protection from self-incrimination could not be used by a Baltimore mother who refused to reveal the whereabouts of her son. Also discussed was the Court’s decision to let stand a lower court ruling in the case of Henry Holt v. New Era. The decision upheld the opinion that virtually all unpublished material that is copyrighted cannot be used without permission. The results of a National Law Journal/Lexis Poll indicated that Americans know very little about how the Supreme Court functions or of whom it is comprised. Other findings of the poll included a strong belief in the right to privacy, a feeling that the Court is politically motivated, great support for the Equal Rights Amendment, and support for an amendment prohibiting flag-burning. Possible reasons for close