Chapter 9, Response Paper. (Introduction to Criminology)

Reading assignment: Chapter 9 (Criminal Trials) Name: Institution: Course: Instructor: Date: Reading assignment: Chapter 9 (Criminal Trials) Chapter Summary Chapter 9, Criminal Trials, gives a detailed analysis of what happens pre-trial and trial phases of criminal cases. Any criminal case brought forward goes through a pre-trial and trial phase. In the pre-trial phase, the defendant is brought before a judge where he or she is informed about the charges, his or her constitutional rights, and the opportunity to request an attorney in case they cannot afford one. After the initial appearance, the defendant formally hears his or her case during a court arraignment and it is here where he pleads “guilty” or “not guilty”. It is at arraignment where bail issues are addressed and granted based on the presenting case. Other critical aspects of pre-trail are the pre-trial motions, Voir Dire, and plea bargaining. Voir Dire presents an opportunity for judges to examine potential jurors and ensure there is no bias and impartiality during the trial. Each side of the hearing has a right to object to prospective jurors. In pre-trial the defense and prosecutor can enter motions to the court with common motions being the change of venue, discovery (request to access evidence held by the prosecutor), motion to dismiss, and suppression motion. The trial phase is the second yet critical stage. This stage starts with opening statements by both the prosecution and defense. Often the defendant does not have to prove his or her innocence but wait for the prosecution to prove their case. In most cases, a defendant’s attorney refutes claims brought forth by the prosecutor just to create doubts in the minds of the jury. Immediately after the opening statement, the prosecution is granted space to present the state’s case which includes documents, witness testimony, expert testimony, and anything else that supposedly indicts the accused. Evidence often brought before the jury is under oath and includes physical evidence, circumstantial evidence, and witness testimony, among others. The defense attorney is always granted the opportunity to cross-examine the prosecutor's witness and vice...