I heartily concur with your concerns about the Supreme Court's recent decision revising the 1969 Miranda ruling ("Eroding Miranda," June 2). This ruling constituted a clear defense against self-incrimination to an individual suspected of a crime. The new decision makes it more difficult for a suspect to invoke this right.

It is unclear, in this case, whether the suspect understood this right, but he clearly should not have been questioned further in the absence of an explicit indication — his signature — that he understood his rights and chose not to invoke them. This safeguard for him was especially crucial as he was, three hours later, asked whether he believed God would forgive him "for shooting that boy down."

John B. Ramsay III, Baltimore County