Archive for May 2015
Blog Post #40: Sentenced to Death on Hearsay Evidence
By Madeline Dang The Sixth Amendment guarantees all criminal defendants the right to a fair trial.[1] Inherent in the Sixth Amendment’s fair trial right is the defendant’s right to confront witnesses adverse to him.[2] The Confrontation Clause generally requires face-to-face confrontation between the defendant and his accusers, although this is not an absolute right and…
Read MoreBlog Post #39: Exonerated and Vulnerable: Compensation for the Innocent and Wrongfully Convicted
By Jordyn Coad Last year was a record year for exonerations in the US.[1] 125 wrongfully convicted individuals were exonerated, the most since 1989.[2] What happens when these innocent individuals are released from prison, some having served decades on death row? Some states will issue “token” assistance or “gate money” and give exonerees a small…
Read MoreBlog Post #38: Heritage or Hate: Does the First Amendment Protect Confederate License Plates?
By Robert Jameson In March 2015, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc.[1] The case focused on whether Texas violated the Sons of Confederate Veteran’s (SCV) First Amendment free speech rights in rejecting a specialty license plate displaying the Confederate flag.[2] Texas, among many other…
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