Why Do We Become Guilty?

Law is a topic mentioned when we talk about illegal activity and the things that were not able to legally do as citizen of the United States. When we end up breaking the law up, we are innocent before proven guilty. This all happens within the court system. This is where they find out whether you’re guilty or not, so I felt that this would be a great place to do my project. I’m able to get more knowledge about the law and the people around me. Some of the things that you see in court can be astonishing to some individuals and sad to others. Most cases in court relate to minor crimes or civil disputes, but the case that I decided to attend was a homicide case. It ended up being a lot more interesting than the things I’m used to seeing in court. With a case like this the jury proves whether the defendant was guilty, so upon arrival various people were adequately hearing both sides of the story, so in the end they’re able to make a decision on whether he/she is guilty. I enjoyed this project because it opened up my eyes to the law and the
crimes that occur on a daily basis. I can honestly say this is one of the most interesting projects that I’ve endured in college. It’s something that I can see myself a part of in the near future.
Upon arriving at the court room I was greeted by the bailiff and asked a few questions. The questions were brief, but related back to the defendant and whether or not I was friend of his. I’m sure they do this so the jury feels a lot more comfortable as they go on lunch break. I can understand why they want to make sure whether I’m related to them or not because that could really make a difference in whether or not a jury proves someone guilty. I feel like this only happens with big cases like a homicide, so the bailiff and other cops present are aware of what could potentially happen.
The case that I decided to watch was a homicide case held by Judge McCormick.
The case title was People v. Scott, Terry, and Smith, Ashleigh. The case involved a young African American adult in his early twenties. He was being charged with the homicide of his baby boy, who he doesn’t fully feel that it’s his but mentions how he’s still been there for the kid even though he doesn’t know if the baby his or not. His girlfriend at the time was a prostitute, so he was constantly reminded by others and himself that the baby cannot be his. This affects him emotionally, which causes him to act aggressively at times with his girlfriend and soon to find out her new born baby. From the start he took care of the baby as much as he can with the little money that he was able to get each week. He also dropped out of high school to spend more time with his girlfriend and her new born child, which didn’t seem to make a difference to the
outcome.
The day of the homicide the defendant and his girlfriend were at home with their son. Earlier that day he mentions his girlfriend potentially hitting his sons head in the bathroom due to a large scream he overheard from the living room. This could easily be a lie because he didn’t physically see her drop the baby, only a loud scream. A few aggressive acts were continued as the baby was grabbed in an aggressive way either by him or her, which caused the baby to breathe shallowly and turn blue. So they took the baby to the hospital where they are told that the baby is going to die, due to choking of the head. The brain was dead so there was nothing the doctors could do.
He didn’t show any emotions after hearing the news and as he walked off with an officer showed no emotions and even laughed. This cause those to believe that he had to have been a part of it, because any real parent who cares about their child would break out in tears especially if it wasn’t there fault. He did the opposite. He joked around with the officer escorting him and even confessed to dropping the baby on the head in the police car. He claims that the only reason he admitted to the allegations is so his girlfriend/prostitute can leave and take care of the baby if it makes it, even though he was told the baby was pronounced dead. He didn’t want to believe it at all, so after the act occurred he acted as if it was just another day. I can imagine there was a lot more facts about this case, but due to the circumstance of the case it may take more than a month to prove whether he’s guilty or not. With the facts presented could we believe that the defendant committed the act?
The defendant is being charged with murder, which will end up being either a first degree or second degree murder depending on the facts to come in the case. After seeing the case I believe he’ll probably get charged with second degree murder. The defendant had no intention of killing the baby but the act was malicious which ended up causing a life, in the end. This ultimately will prove him guilty and other minor crimes may also be put on him, such as child endangerment. Before speaking to the police and the detectives he didn’t have an attorney which really affected his opportunity of being not guilty. Sense he had a public defender it really affected his likeability of getting off with a slap on the wrist. He didn’t have a good background within school and the law in general, so some of the things he was saying was burying him deeper into a whole. It really shows the importance of knowing the law.
In the end, this project has dramatically influenced what I want to do in the future. Law is something that I believe is necessary to maintain this world and the crimes that are constantly occurring. After going to the court house I was able to see how they handle big cases like a homicide case and how to go about it in a way that the jury is able to make the right decision. It opened my eyes to the world in a different light that I’m not used to seeing. I was able to grasp what was being said about the victim and the act that he was a part of, which brought him before a judge today. Breaking the law is never a good thing, but when you do break the law you deserve to get punished. Especially a case like a homicide, where the defendant is being accused of killing someone. Innocent lives matter and if you’re involved in a homicide whether it was intentional or not, deserves to get punished. Overall, this project has opened my eyes to the law and what it truly is about. Don’t break the law unless you’re willing to do the time. A comment constantly being mentioned as I left the court house. After this experience at the Sacramento Superior Court I am now more knowledgeable about the crimes that are constantly occurring and the things that I can do to prevent them.