David Coleman appealed his felony drug conviction on the grounds that police failed to advise him of his rights before they asked him to identify what he had swallowed.
Since he had lost consciousness, and was in need of immediate medical treatment, the Appellate Division, First Department, was of the view the officers' questions were necessary to provide for Coleman's "physical needs" and didn't trigger an entitlement to" Miranda" warnings.
The argument that his statements were made during the course of a strip search and in the face of threats made by officers (that he faced a "tampering" charge), was summarily rejected by the appellate court, as were the defendant's "chain of custody" and "closed courtroom" objections.
Bet Coleman found that hard to swallow.
To view a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: People v. Coleman