Constitutional Quote by Felix Frankfurter
“It would be a stultification of the responsibility which the course of constitutional history has cast upon this Court to hold that in order to convict a man the police cannot extract by force what is in his mind, but can extract what is in his stomach.”
About This Quote
Source Opinion: 1930s legal commentary by Justice Felix Frankfurter, unknown publication
The Court must not accept coercion of thoughts, but can consider physical evidence like bodily substances.
In simple terms: Mind cannot be forced, but stomach can be examined for evidence.
Key Takeaway
Focus on lawful evidence collection.
Themes
law
evidence
constitutional rights
court
justice
Mood
serious
analytical
critical
Type
opinion
analysis
When to use this quote
- criminal trials
- police interrogation
- court rulings
- legal education
- policy drafting
Key Concepts
self-incrimination
search and seizure
forensic science
Questions to Reflect On
- Is it ethical to use bodily evidence?
- How do we balance rights and public safety?
A Different Perspective
Physical evidence may be invasive and raise privacy concerns.
