Salinas v. Texas

Summary

The Court affirmed the conviction, holding that a defendant must expressly invoke the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination during a noncustodial police interview to prevent the prosecution from using his silence as evidence of guilt. Justice Alito's plurality opinion found petitioner did not invoke the privilege because he remained silent without stating his basis. Justice Thomas concurred in the judgment but argued Griffin v. California lacks constitutional foundation. Justice Breyer dissented, believing the circumstances warranted an inference of privilege invocation.