Column: Right to be silent while in police custody is golden – Champaign News-Gazette

Jim Dey: "Illinois rules of evidence written before the Miranda ruling state 'evidence of silence is not relevant to the question of guilt' and is off limits as evidence except under narrow circumstances. Those rules make it necessary for judges and prosecutors to tip-toe carefully around this legal third rail...Perhaps the Illinois Supreme Court wanted to send a message to prosecutors and judges in all 102 counties to avoid foolish mistakes."