Overview
The Sixth Amendment
17) The Sixth Amendment gives a defendant a right to counsel. Explain the evolution of this right in the following cases: Powell v. Alabama (1932), Betts v. Brady (1942) and Gideon v. Wainwright (1963). 18) Over 90% of all guilty pleas is the result of plea bargaining. What is the advantage for the prosecutor? What is the advantage for the defendant? The Eighth Amendment
19) What did the Supreme Court rule in Furman v. Georgia (1972)? 20) What did the Supreme Court rule in Gregg v. Georgia (1976)? In particular, you should discuss the terms aggravating and mitigating. 21) What is a bifurcated trial? When is it used? Three Strikes 22) What is a “wobbler”?List four key features of the “Three Strikes” law. 23) What was the impact of the Court’s ruling in People v. Superior Court (Romero)? 24) Why do more “Three Strikes” cases go to trial? What impact has this had on the criminal justice system in California? Surviving Justice 25) From all of the cases you read about in Surviving Justice, which case did you find to be the most troubling? Where did the criminal justice system “break down” or fail the defendant? In the particular case that you identified, was failure an aberration, or was it systemic throughout the criminal justice system? Explain.