Criminal defense attorneys have a tough job. They often have to represent those who are accused of committing atrocious crimes, and to do so requires them to meet with clients in maximum security prisons.
Criminal defense attorneys have a tough job. They often have to represent those who are accused of committing atrocious crimes, and to do so requires them to meet with clients in maximum security prisons. They can face threats from unhappy clients who expect acquittal despite overwhelming evidence, and scrutiny and criticism by the public for representing “monsters.” However, criminal defense attorneys are ethically bound to zealously advocate for the interests of their clients, regardless of what the charge is or whether the client admits guilt. For this Discussion, visit the New York Times article about alleged serial killer Robert Durst. Durst is the subject of an HBO documentary called “The Jinx.”
You can locate the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/nyregion/durst-is-denied-bail-at-hearing-in-new-orleans.html?_r=0. After reading the article, discuss whether you could represent someone like Durst if asked to do so by a court. Please comment on at least one of your classmate’s posts.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 2 Discussion
DQ1 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Taking Sides: Is Unprotected Sex While HIV Positive Attempted Murder, Assault, or Permissible?
In this exercise, you will look at the inchoate crime of attempt as it relates to the spread of diseases, particularly those that are known and incurable. Read the following articles about the inchoate crime of attempt and the failure to disclose HIV status to sex partners.
If your last name begins with A–I, you will argue for first or second degree attempted murder. If your last name begins with J–R, you will argue for assault instead of attempted murder. If your last name begins with S–Z, you will argue that no crime was committed here. Post your response here. Take some time to read and comment on your classmates’ responses and see if your perspective changes by the end of the week.
Sources:
http://articles.latimes.com/1993-08-29/news/mn-29143_1_attempted-murder
http://nationalpost.com/opinion/matt-gurney-exposing-partners-to-hiv-is-attempted-murder
DQ2 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Criminal Law In the News: Op-ed
Research current events related to the course topics covered in Unit 2 and post at least one event to the Discussion. Within your posting, describe how your chosen item ties in to a review of the material in this unit. You may use the Library or any other outside resource for your research. Be sure to use proper citation format. Review your fellow students’ postings and respond to at least one event posting throughout the week.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 3 Discussion
DQ1 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Taking Sides: The Zimmerman Trial. Murder, Manslaughter, or Innocent?
The shooting death of Travon Martin in February 2012 by George Zimmerman sparked great debate in the legal community. The state delayed prosecuting Zimmerman but ultimately charged him with second degree murder. Some believed he should have been charged with first degree murder, and many were outraged when he was acquitted entirely. For more details about the shooting and trial, see the source below.
Source: Zimmerman Facts. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/05/us/trayvon-martin-shooting-fast-facts/.
In this exercise, you will explore the various degrees of murder that might have applied in the Zimmerman case to understand how to apply statutory criminal law in practice.
The jurisdiction is Florida, so you will need to look at the statutory law for murder and manslaughter on Florida Homicide.
Source: The 2014 Florida Statutes. Retrieved from http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0782/0782.html.
If your last name begins with A–I, you will argue for first or second degree murder. If your last name begins with J–R, you will argue for voluntary or involuntary manslaughter. If your last name begins with S–Z, you will argue that no crime was committed here.
Post your response here. Take some time to read and comment on your classmates’ responses and see if your perspective changes by the end of the week.
DQ2 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Criminal Law in the News: Op-ed
Research current events related to the course topics covered in Unit 3 and post at least one of these events to the Discussion. Within your posting, describe how your chosen item ties in to a review of the material in this unit. You may use the Library or any other outside resource for your research. Be sure to use proper citation format. Review your fellow students’ postings and respond to at least one event posting throughout the week.
Post your response here. Be sure to comment on at least one of your classmate’s posts.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 4 Discussion
DQ1 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Taking Sides: Is The Sex Offender Registry Fair?
Visit the National Sex Offender Registry at http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/registry and click on your state to access the local registry. As you review the information on the site, take note of what sex offenses offenders must register for and the duration of the registry. You should also research whether offenders must register when they move, and whether a person convicted of statutory rape must register as a sex offender.
In this exercise, you will explore the various degrees of sexual assault, how each degree affects the way a sex offender must register, and the length of time registration is required. If your last name begins with A–M, you will argue that sex offender registry laws are too harsh and violate double jeopardy principles by penalizing an offender even after s/he has served time in prison. If your last name begins with N–Z, you will argue that the registry laws are fair and necessary for the protection of society despite impositions on a person’s due process rights. Post your response here. Then take some time to read and comment on your classmates’ responses and see if your perspective changes by the end of the week.
DQ2 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Criminal Law In The News: Op-Ed
Research current events related to the course topics covered in Unit 4 and post at least one of these events to the Discussion. Within your posting, describe how your chosen item ties in to a review of the material in this unit. You may use the Library or any other outside resource for your research. Be sure to use proper citation format. Review your fellow students’ postings and respond to at least one event posting throughout the week.
Post your response here. Be sure to comment on at least one of your classmate’s posts.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 5 Discussion
In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Topic 1
In preparation for the Midterm Exam, please revisit the prior units. What topics or concepts have you found most important to study? Why? Please post your thoughts here, and remember to respond to some of your classmates’ posts as well.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 6 Discussion
DQ1 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Taking Sides: Using Deadly Force to Defend Property
In the wake of the famous court decision of Katko v. Briney, 183 N.W. 657 (IA 1971) most states do not allow the use of deadly force in order to protect property. However, Texas allows its residents to do so in limited circumstances. Review the Katko v. Briney and the Texas statute sources below.
Source: Supreme Court of Iowa. Retrieved from http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1898372709114585666&hl=en&as_sdt=6&as_vis=1&oi=scholar
Source: Deadly Force To Protect Property. Retrieved from http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/txstatutes/PE/2/9/D/9.42
If your last name begins with A–M, please argue in favor of this statute and the allowance of using deadly force to protect your property. If your last name begins with N–Z, please argue against this statute and the use of deadly force to protect property. Please include all moral and public policy considerations in your answer.
Post your responses here. Take some time to read and comment on your classmates’ responses.
DQ2 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Criminal Law In The News: Op-Ed
Research current events related to the course topics covered in Unit 6 and post at least one of these events to the Discussion. Within your posting, describe how your chosen item ties in to a review of the material in this unit. You may use the Library or any other outside resource for your research. Be sure to use proper citation format. Review your fellow students’ postings and respond to at least one event posting throughout the week.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 7 Discussion
DQ1 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Taking Sides: Should Marijuana Be Legalized?
Colorado, Washington, and Oregon are the latest states to consider the controversial question of legalizing marijuana. If passed, the ballot initiatives would directly contradict federal law, which classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Federal authorities and state officials are already at odds in California and the 16 other states and District of Columbia where medical marijuana use is legal.
In this Discussion, you will present your best arguments either in favor or against the legalization of marijuana. If your last name begins with A–M, you will argue against the legalization of marijuana. If your last name begins with N–Z, you will argue in favor of the legalization of marijuana. Please consider whether your feelings are the same for the legalization of prostitution. Please respond to at least one of your classmates’ responses.
DQ2 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Criminal Law In The News: Op-Ed
Research current events related to the course topics covered in Unit 7 and post at least one of these events to the Discussion. Within your posting, describe how your chosen item ties in to a review of the material in this unit. You may use the Library or any other outside resource for your research. Be sure to use proper citation format. Review your fellow students’ postings and respond to at least one event posting throughout the week.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 8 Discussion
DQ1 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Taking Sides: Novel Defenses
Throughout the years, many novel defenses have emerged as those charged with crimes try to avoid culpability for their actions. In 1991, a female orthopedic surgeon successfully avoided a conviction for drinking and driving and other crimes by arguing that her actions were due to PMS. Other defendants have tried to defend their conduct based on the “Twinkie defense,” affluenza, internet addiction, too much caffeine and too much sugar, – and some have won!
In this Discussion, you will do some research on novel defenses such as these and debate their legitimacy. Start by
Reviewing the source below about some these “novel” defenses in more detail:
Television Intoxication and Other Media Defenses: https://courses2.cit.cornell.edu/sociallaw/student_projects/TelevisionIntoxicationandOtherMediaDefenses.htm
If your last name begins with A–M, you will argue against the use of novel defenses. If your last name begins with N–Z, you will argue in favor of the use of novel defenses like these. Think about the role that physical symptoms play in whether the defense was successful or not. Post your responses here. Please respond to at least one of your classmates’ responses.
DQ2 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Criminal Law In The News: Op-Ed
Research current events related to the course topics covered in Unit 4 and post at least one of these events to the Discussion. Within your posting, describe how your chosen item ties in to a review of the material in this unit. You may use the Library or any other outside resource for your research. Be sure to use proper citation format. Review your fellow students’ postings and respond to at least one event posting throughout the week.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 9 Discussion
DQ1 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Taking Sides: The Death Penalty
In 2014, two “botched” executions stole the headlines. In Arizona, it took the inmate nearly 2 hours to die. In Oklahoma, the lethal cocktail did not seem to fully work because the inmate’s vein blew. Read the following articles regarding these incidences.
Source: Lethal drugs injected 15 times in botched Arizona execution. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/lethal-drugs-injected-15-times-botched-arizona-execution.
Source: Oklahoma’s botched lethal injection marks new front in battle over executions. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/30/us/oklahoma-botched-execution/.
Critics of the death penalty claim that the death penalty violates the Eight Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Moreover, these failed executions have put the U.S. back in the spotlight for being one of the only civilized nations that uses the death penalty as a form of punishment. In 2014, China led the world in executions (thousands). Iran came in second, with at least 369 put to death by the state, followed by Iraq (169), Saudi Arabia (79), and the United States (39).
In this exercise, you will explore the controversial topic of the death penalty. Please share your thoughts on the use capital punishment and be sure to support your position with law. If you are in favor of the death penalty, be sure to comment upon whether it should be used for crimes other than first-degree murder. If you are against the death penalty, consider whether cost should be a factor to consider.
Take some time to read and respond to your classmates’ postings.
DQ2 In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Criminal Law In The News: Op-Ed
Research current events related to the course topics covered in Unit 9 and post at least one of these events to the Discussion. Please concentrate on the way that technology intersects with criminal procedure, such as with the use of drones, thermal imaging, or the use of GPS tracking devices. Within your posting, describe how your chosen item ties in to a review of the material in this unit. You may use the Library or any other outside resource for your research. Be sure to use proper citation format. Review your fellow students’ postings and respond to at least one event posting throughout the week.
PA260 Criminal Law
Unit 10 Discussion
In the interest of conducting a lively, engaging Discussion, please keep the following in mind:
Opposing viewpoints are key to any vibrant discussion, but remember to use internet etiquette and be respectful of your classmates’ views and opinions. Provide constructive feedback or ask clarifying questions if you do not understand a classmate’s comment. Most importantly, have fun interacting with the unit content, your classmates, and your instructor!
For Discussion requirements, refer to your course Syllabus or to the Discussion Rubric, posted in Course Documents.
Course Reflection
What prior knowledge did you bring to this course?
What were the most important new ideas you encountered and how did they change your understanding of the paralegal profession and the role of the paralegal in the field of criminal law?
What have you learned from your discussions and collaborations with your fellow students?
In what specific ways can you use the knowledge you have gained in this course in your chosen profession? What are your strengths and opportunities for growth in this area?
Describe one thing you would like to take away from this course. Write about this in a journal entry to keep in your Learning Journal. As you write, think about how it may have influenced you in deciding upon a future career.
Next, think about how you learned it. Did you learn it through your discussion with classmates, your research, or an instructor dialogue? Be specific as to what it was that you wanted to learn and how you did so.
Then go to the Discussion and share your thoughts on the course with the class.
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