...Because even though she was sick and had issues, she should have at least been accepting by her family, she had no one and all she needed was family or a friend. “A Jury of Her Peers” writtenby Susan Glaspellreveals a short story, of the struggle of women in a male-dominated society. Minnie Foster Wright who is in jail, because the police think that she strangled her husband. Police looked around her house while Mrs. Hale stayed with Mrs. Wright. While police are looking around the house, the two women from the community look around the kitchen to see what clues they can find to figure out why Minnie would do this. They notice isolated existence and broken furniture and ragged clothes that she was forced to wear because of her husband. The story shows women in a male-dominated society, it shows how men accused her of just murdering her husband but not taking the time to understand why she might have did it. The...
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...Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers” provokes a contemplation on the differences between men and women through the examination of a murder scene. The story begins with an interview of the people who first found the body of Mr. Wright, and the social rift between men and women becomes more evident as the men scrutinize the state of the kitchen. The men then leave to examine the rest of the property as the women busy themselves with gathering the requested items of Minnie Wright. While doing so the women discover the motive for the murder, and they decide to keep the evidence to themselves. Because of Glaspell’s choice of point of view the readers are able to see the importance of the difference between men and women. To begin, the women’s thoughts and actions allow the readers to gain insight on what happened in the house while the men are dismissive towards the details that could allow them to discover the cause of the murder. The women’s perspective allows the readers to see that the housework seemed to be interrupted instead of it being neglected. The county attorney states, “Dirty towels! Not much of housekeeper, would you say ladies?” by...
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...A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell The short story “ A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell was published in 1917. The story is a version of the play Trifles which was written in 1916, however was not published until three years later. The fictional story is said to be based off of an actual court case from Iowa. The characters themselves are also part taken from the actual court case that took place in Iowa. In the story “ A Jury of Her Peers” the theme, symbols, and characters all show how different men and women are and at the same time, how men and women are alike. The story jumps into action when Mrs. Hale, Mr. Hale , Mrs. Peters, the sheriff, and the county attorney are at the scene of the crime and Mr. Hale explains what he saw and heard yesterday at the Wrights house. After Mr. Hale gives his story, the men decide to investigate the crime scene. The men tell the women to stay in the kitchen and look around for any clues to help them find out what happened. The men go out to look around the house to see if there is any evidence outside. The women find clues that incriminate Mrs. Wright but in the end they decide to not tell the men of their findings. At the beginning of the story Mrs. Hale is flustered with work in the kitchen when she is called upon by her husband to travel to the Wright’s house. Once there she finds out the horrible truth that Mr. Wright has been murdered. While she listened to her husband give testimony about what he had heard and...
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...12 Angry Men Film Analysis 25 October 2010 Film Analysis The film, 12 Angry Men (1957), is a drama about a jury that was to decide the fate of a teenaged boy who was facing the electric chair for supposedly killing his father with a switchblade knife. The twelve men were locked into a small, claustrophobic jury room on an unbearably hot summer day until they came up with a unanimous decision - either guilty or not guilty. Over the course of the film the votes went from eleven guilty and one not, to a unanimous vote of ‘not guilty’. The movie provides many examples of persuasive speaking, group communication and conflict, and different communication climates. In the movie Henry Fonda’s character made good use of his persuasive speaking skills. He personally had nothing to gain from either verdict, but found the ease with which the others were willing to sentence a young man to death disconcerting. He was firm, but not confrontational when he gave his reasons for voting not guilty. He simply said that he was not convinced ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ that the boy had committed the crime and asked that they review the evidence. With each piece of cosmetically ‘concrete’ evidence he discredited, he slowly placed doubt within the minds of his fellow jurors. He never out-right said he thought that the defendant was innocent, only that he believed there to be some doubt as to the certainty of his guilt. “It's always difficult to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this...
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...Angry Men Analysis In the movie “12 Angry Men” there is a young man on trial for murder. The year is 1957, so the jury consists of all white, middle class to upper class, middle aged and up men. Some of their occupations consist of architect, salesman, broker and a man in advertisement. Which if you know anything about a jury today it is completely different. You have many different people of all race, gender, and social class, within that community, to receive a more fair trial. Also you can’t bring in any previous information into the trial or bring any emotional attachment into the case. Having a jury like in the “12 Angry Men” is not having a fair jury or trial what so ever, they are either going to all agree with each other, persuade one another or think like each other. One of the characters played by Henry Fonda goes against the grain, and votes not guilty. This really sends the other jurors up the wall, more particularly the head strong jurors. They want nothing to do with him and don’t want to listen to what he has to say. Henry Fonda speaks out and votes the opposite of all the other jurors. He does so because he wants to discuss the facts and the evidence, he isn’t convinced he is guilty or he is innocent. Fonda wants to do so because he does not want to but a boy to his death without discussing this matter into more depth. This is the boy’s life they have in the palm of their hands after all, and he couldn’t live with the guilt if he would have been peer pressured...
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...Critical Analysis of The Apology of Socrates by Plato Socrates was an orator and philosopher whose primary interests were logic, ethics and epistemology. In Plato’s Apology of Socrates, Plato recounts the speech that Socrates gave shortly before his death, during the trial in 399 BC in which he was charged with "corrupting the young, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, also being a busybody and intervene gods business". The name of the work itself is not mean what it is appeared; here, Socrates is not apologizing, but merely speaking in defense of his beliefs and actions – the word apology is used in the context of its original meaning. During this apology, Socrates attempts to explain himself and the decisions that led to his action, educating his audience in the philosophical questions he chooses to pose. Socrates does not try to avoid death in the trial; instead, his goal is to enlighten the public for the last time before his own passing. Socrates was always fascinated with the solving of questions, both big and small; his approach was to use the Socratic method of inquiry, wherein he would break the problem down into several questions, and then systematically find the answers to each question in order to find the larger answer. It was a methodical and practical approach to show his ultimate quest for seeking the true knowledge. He says, "His wisdom is truly worthless"; this is indicative of his unending search for more and more knowledge (Apology...
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...Jury Trial Analysis When an individual is charged with a crime, he or she becomes a criminal defendant. The United States Constitution provides these criminal defendants a number of rights that limit the fashion in which the government can investigate, prosecute, and penalize criminal behavior. These include, but are not limited to, the right to a speedy trial, the right to an impartial judge, and the right to an impartial jury. Criminal defendants have the right to a public trial. This ensures that the government will not carry out any hearings in secret that may violate the individual’s constitutional rights. There are times when the court will hold a closed hearing to protect the identity of a victim, such as a minor. A criminal defendant also has the right to be tried by a jury of his or her peers. The type of jury varies from state to states but these juries are made up of members of the community that have been randomly designated by the court and chosen by attorney for both the prosecution and the defense. This leads the criminal defendant into the right to ask for a swift trial. The most intricate premises of the criminal justice system are that when justice is delayed, it is denied. The right to a swift and speedy trial is essential in a structure that places equality and integrity above all else (FindLaw, n.d.). Diligent trials promote civility within the criminal justice system. A speedy trial is one that is without any postponements. The Sixth Amendment...
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...Stereotypes play a large role in our society as a whole, many of which lie in the unconscious minds of our peers. Stereotyping is a persistent human tendency that we are taught to suppress due to prejudiced outcomes that occur from action. However, not everyone is taught to remove, or at least restrain, these negative connotations, which can often lead to a clear bias before a presented decision is made. Looking at the case and trial of Adnan Syed, it is clear to see how strongly courtroom bias has influenced the outcome of this trial. The tenth episode of the podcast focuses on the trial of Hae Min Lee’s death, but a large portion of it discusses Adnan's convictions. At the beginning of the episode, it discusses the standard order of law known as “removal for cause”...
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...epitomizes the validation and condemnation of the American justice system. There are many responsibilities of a jury: to achieve fair and impartial decision, determine guilt or not guilt, give people voice in the government, and to protect the rights of the accused. In other words, the main point of the jury system is not to provide innocence but eradicating or sustaining reasonable doubt. The presumption of innocence is a key theme in the narrative that reflects one of the distinct characteristics of the American justice system. As much as this film is about lessons of discrimination, fate, and impartiality, it is also a lesson of the American justice system. Although this film demonstrates many imperfections in the court system, as imperfect human beings, perhaps it is necessary that justice call upon such a system. As shown in Twelve Angry Men, the American justice system, although seemingly flawed, works for us imperfect human beings Aside from the opening courtroom scene where the audience is introduced to the judge and defendant, the film mostly takes place in a room with the twelve jurors. The names of each juror are not revealed but addressed in the order in which they are seated around the table. The lack of names reflects the anonymity of the justice system that calls upon citizens of all backgrounds to serve as a juror. Because the film moves right into the jury...
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...Expert Witness Requirement’s- The Frye and Daubert Test’s CJ305-01: Legal Foundations of Criminal Evidence Sigrid Hess June 3, 2013 Expert Witness Requirements This article will briefly review the applicable standards of the admission and exclusion of expert testimony in the Federal Court. The guidelines discussed in this article, principally pertain to the subject of the reliability of the methodology supporting the submitting of evidence. In addition, the qualifications of the proposed experts in the pertinent field of expertise, and the relevancy of evidence from expert’s .These areas also offer opportunities for confronting the opponent’s case by excluding the evidence on the grounds of; lack of expert qualification of the witness or the lack of relevance of the testimony to the facts of Court Cases. I. Discuss the Frye and Daubert tests Frye Test: Frye v. United States was a case in 1923 U.S. v. Frye, 54 App.D.C. 46, 293 F. 1013 C.A.D.C 1923. Retrieved from: Westlaw.com. , in which James Frye was tried for murder and in his defense he produced the testimony of an expert with the result of a blood pressure test, in the expectation to prove that he was speaking the truth when he did not accept his guilt. This deception test was intended to tell if a person is being dishonest or not. This case became a standard for judges while allowing admissibility of testimony of experts based upon scientific methods. Frye test is also referred to as Frye standard or general...
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...the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to intervene…It was able to ‘unofficially’ regulate DNA analysis and force ‘private companies to adopt its technological system’” (Edmond 130). These debates in the courtroom have led to regulations that are in place to ensure the proper gathering and testing of DNA evidence so that only accurate evidence is admitted in court. Suspects have a right to a fair trial and following the DNA wars, fair trials include correct evidence to be presented otherwise they may be acquitted or a mistrial may be declared. One of the factors to ensuring correct evidence is a process known as the chain of custody. The chain of custody, if followed properly, keeps track of continuity of possession. Evidence must be correctly...
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...Chapter One – Individual Rights Under the United States Constitution I. History of Criminal Procedure a. The Magna Carta i. 1215 agreement between King John of England and English nobility creating certain civil rights. ii. Due process is referred to as "law of the land" and "legal judgment of peers." Some state constitutions continue to use these phrases. iii. A legal principle which states that no one should be deprived of life, liberty, or property except by proper legal proceeding. The principle is enshrined in the 39th clause of Magna Carta (1215) which provides that ‘no freeman shall be arrested or imprisoned or deprived of his freehold or outlawed or banished or in any way ruined, nor will we (ie the monarch) take or order action against him, except by the lawful judgment of his equals and according to the law of the land’. b. The United States Constitution iv. 1789 v. Bill of Rights – proposed in 1789 and ratified (became law) in 1791. vi. Chapter 1, Page 14 – Provisions of Bill of Rights – Table 1.2 vii. The notion of due process is also embodied in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the US Constitution, and in Articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. viii. The reference in the 5th Amendment applies only to the federal government and its courts and agencies. The reference in the 14th Amendment extends protection of due process to all state governments...
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...Twelve Angry Men – Book Report How does your background and peer pressure influence your opinions and decisions? The play we read “twelve angry men” shows how a jury makes such an important decision of either sending the defendant to his death or keeping him alive – the jury determinates the fate of a 16 year old boy. As the title suggests that there are 12 men in the jury who do not know one another, and do not know the defendant, but these jurors have to work as one united group to argue and reach an agreement. They all have to be convinced wither the boy is guilty or not. The trial is about a sixteen year old boy accused with the murder of his father. The story has no plot because it tells us how these 12 jurors argue about the case in a small room and reach the final decision. They have to think as a group because, otherwise, it could not work, that means that they will get to the wrong decision, and cause or the release of a killer or the death of an innocent young man. The play emphasizes how they deal with the case and how they make a decision vital for the boy’s life. The jury is actually a group of randomly chosen members of society. Each one of them represents a particular class of the society, not only as a mass of people, but also the way this class of society thinks and behaves. Therefore, every one of them is sensitive to different issues and social norms and also each one of them confirms to different society standards and values of society. It is...
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...This issue paper will cover the subject of “Trying Juveniles as Adults”. This has brought up a very controversial topic that people seem to be very passionate about. The rate of minors committing horrendous crimes has been on a steady rise for the past couple of decades (DOJ National Report Series Bulletin, 2011). There are many differences between the court system for Juveniles and the justice system for adults. In Juvenile courts there are no juries and no trails by jury either. In adult courts the sentencing is much harsher and the chance of getting off the hook with some counseling is very slim. If a juvenile is defined as a person under the age of 18, how can you justify trying them in a court designed for adult offenders? Some juvenile cases get transferred to adult criminal court through a process called a “waiver”—when a judge waives the protections that juvenile court provides (www.ojjdp.gov). Usually, juvenile cases that are subject to waiver involve more serious crimes, or minors who have been in trouble before (nolo.com/juveniles youth adult criminal court). Being tried as an adult gives a juvenile more constitutional protections, but it also has disadvantages such as losing the juvenile protections as well. Depending on the crime of the minor, both court systems can punish the individual, but which court can give the appropriate punishment or the “crime”, not the age of the person committing the crime? The big question now is should we the courts show more...
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...Opinion over Christopher Pittman’s Adult Trial Verdict Name Professor Institution Date Just to quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. words, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. Human beings are not entirely fit. Thus judges just like any other human being are bound to make mistakes in dispensing justice. However, Judges are obliged to be ever watchful and mindful in their endeavors of delivering justice. Every day, all over US judges dispense justice to convicted persons and defendants. However, absolute justice ideally is hardly realizable across board since its effectiveness demands human infallibility. Although it might be even harder to reap justice, justice is achievable and pursuit for justice remains a noble order. In this case, a 12 years old boy, Christopher Pittman from the state of South Carolina on February 15, 2005 shot his two grandparents using his father’s shotgun while they lay on their beds, he then set the house on fire, drove his grandparents truck and fled with cash and weapons in his possession. The petitioner, Pittman was only 12 years of age when he committed this malicious acts. He was charged with premeditated murder and put on an adult court for trial. Christopher Pittman’s defense team claimed that young Christopher Pittman remained an innocent child because he still could not differentiate what was right or wrong while under influence of Zoloft, an antidepressant. The defense urged the court to consider Pitman a child thus unable...
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