What constitutes interrogation for Miranda purposes?

• A. Direct questioning or its functional equivalents likely to elicit an incriminating response.
• B. Any casual conversation with police.
• C. Nonverbal gestures only.
• D. Questions asked by a private citizen.

Answer: (A)

Interrogation for Miranda purposes includes not only direct questioning by the police but also the functional equivalents—any words or actions by law enforcement that they should know are reasonably likely to prompt an incriminating response from the suspect. The key idea is that the police don’t have to be asking a question for it to count; if they deliberately create circumstances or use conduct designed to provoke a confession, that falls under interrogation. Casual talk with officers isn’t considered interrogation, and private citizens’ questions aren’t covered by Miranda. Nonverbal gestures can count if they’re used in a way that would reasonably elicit a response, but they’re not the sole or exclusive form. So direct questioning or its functional equivalents likely to elicit an incriminating response best captures when Miranda warnings are required.