v. People

Summary

The court held that the public safety exception to Miranda permitted an officer to ask an unwarned suspect where a gun was located after a lengthy pursuit, violent resistance, and discovery of live shotgun shells. The relevant inquiry is whether, under the totality of the circumstances, the question was prompted by an objectively reasonable need to protect the public from immediate danger, evaluated when the question was asked. The court therefore affirmed the conviction while vacating the court of appeals’ opinion and did not reach harmlessness. No separate opinions were filed.