If a suspect is not in custody, Miranda warnings are required.

• A. True.
• B. False.
• C. Only if the suspect asks for an attorney.
• D. Only if the interrogation occurs in a police station.

Answer: (B)

Miranda warnings apply only to custodial interrogations. Custody means a reasonable person would not feel free to leave because of police restraint or formal arrest. Interrogation covers direct questions or its functional equivalent likely to elicit an incriminating response. If the suspect is not in custody, officers may ask questions without giving Miranda warnings, and the statements can be admissible as long as they are voluntary. So the statement is false: warnings are not required when there is no custody. (Note: there are exceptions like the public-safety exception, but that doesn’t change the general rule.)