confession to a crime that had been obtained illegally by police

The Justices rejected an appeal seeking to test an equally divided Mississipi Supreme Court ruling that involved the admission of a confession to a crime that had been obtained illegally by police in violation of the suspect's rights under Miranda v. Arizona. The state court found the admission was an error, but found that it was "harmless" because there was "overwhelming" evidence to support the conviction. The case was Haynes v. Mississippi (06-7827).