Court considers Miranda warnings by social workers

The Ohio Supreme Court will decide whether social workers must inform criminal defendants of their Miranda rights when conducting interviews.

At issue are statements given to a social worker by a jailed Cleveland man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl.

A judge allowed the social worker to testify at trial about offender Demetrius Jackson’s statements.

He was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison. A lower court overturned that conviction in 2016.

Court justices scheduled arguments in the case for Tuesday.

Jackson’s lawyer argues that social workers are state investigators who should be required to give Miranda warnings before beginning interviews.

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office says social workers aren’t considered law enforcement investigators under Ohio law and aren’t trained in criminal procedure.