New Book Puts Face on Case: The Human Story Behind the Historic "U.S. vs. Miranda" Supreme Court

LOS ANGELES - May 26, 2021 - PRLog -- "Mirandize" is now a common verb, it will soon be an uncommon book.  "Flynn and Miranda: Your Right to Remain Silent," an historical novel written by Joseph B. Wallenstein debuted March 13th on Amazon and other outlets. Published by TrineDay Publishing, the book is a fictional account of a true story. The release date coincides with the 58th anniversary of Ernesto Miranda's arrest in 1963 for kidnapping and rape. The criminal case, Miranda v. Arizona (1966), would make his name a household word.

This case arose following the arrest of Ernest Miranda, who was accused of kidnapping and raping a young woman near Phoenix.  The victim identified Miranda in a lineup, and law enforcement questioned him. No one told him he could refuse to answer questions or seek assistance from a lawyer. Under police questioning, Miranda confessed to the crime of which he had been accused.

In his novel, writer Joseph B. Wallenstein invigorates and amplifies the legal interpretation of Miranda; he puts it in the context of a human story. "Flynn and Miranda" illuminates the decision beyond the legal-ese explanation. "It is the telling of the last, great, true story of the 20th century," Wallenstein says.  "When I interviewed Mr. Flynn, he said to me, 'I have been asked about the cause a thousand times. You are the only one who ever asked me about the price I paid for my involvement.'"

Author Wallenstein was interested from the beginning -- the night Miranda was killed. The author has a track record in storytelling, having produced two highly-successful TV series, Knots Landing and 7th Heaven. He currently serves as Director of Physical Production in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.

The Supreme Court's ruling has been controversial and criticized in law-enforcement quarters and has inevitably entered the mainstream: "You have the right to remain silent" has become embedded in the English language because it has been stated in all 456 episodes of 'Law and Order' and every other show or movie involving police action," Wallenstein notes.

In "Flynn and Miranda," author Wallenstein unveils the persona side of the momentous precedent, strips away the legal jargon and fleshes out the decision in understandable human terms.  John Flynn and Ernesto Miranda, we find, possess commonalities: Flynn had been married five times, Miranda was a convicted sexual predator.  Wallenstein's book presents the profound personal tolls it took on Flynn, delving deeper into the fiber of what went into the ultimate ruling and the legal precedent it set. Accordingly, "Flynn and Miranda" is approachable for mainstream readers; it can reach and enrich the layman's view.

"'Flynn and Miranda' was born to be a movie. All my books are designed to translate to either a film or TV series," Wallenstein says, acknowledging his NYU background where he earned a Bachelor of Business Science degree in Motion Pictures, Television and Radio Production and Direction. "With so much political turmoil currently in our country and the notion of the 5th Amendment tossed around so casually, I felt this might be the time to tell the story…at no time is your liberty more precious than when it is unpopular," Wallenstein quotes from a page in his book, his personal favorite: "It cries out to the public to take their liberty seriously, embrace it, and protect it."

FLYNN AND MIRANDA:  YOUR RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT

Epub: $9.95 (ISBN-13) 978-1-63424-311-7

Mobi: $19.95 (ISBN-13) 978-1-63424-312-4

Trade Paper: $19.95 (ISBN-13) 978-1-63424-310-0

Publisher: TrineDay Publishing

Published Date: March 13, 2021

Number of pages: 180