Ohio’s Right-to-Lawyer Ruled Narrower Than Sixth Amendment’s

A criminal defendant’s right to an attorney as laid out in the Ohio Constitution is narrower than that afforded by the US Constitution’s Sixth Amendment, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The court, in ordering reversed a trial judge’s order that suppressed statements made by a suspect during an interrogation prior to his indictment and arraignment, said the state constitution’s right-to-counsel clause deals with “any trial” and “any court.” Justice R. Patrick DeWine (R) wrote, adding that this includes preparation for court proceedings but not out-of-court police activity.

“We don’t ordinarily understand a preindictment police interrogation—conducted in a police ...