The privilege against self-incrimination only applies to testimonial communication.

Question

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This is a well-established principle in US law. The privilege against self-incrimination guarantees that a person cannot be forced to be a witness against themselves, but it only applies to testimonial communication such as spoken or written statements. It does not apply to physical evidence, like DNA or blood samples, which can be obtained from a suspect even if they refuse to talk.

The Privilege Against Self-Incrimination Only Applies to Testimonial Communication