CJA 225 All Assignments CJA 225 All Assignments | Page 9

District Attorney O'Malley presented the State's case clearly and concisely depicting a night on
the town full of heavy drinking, which ultimately resulted in Mark's actions causing the death of
one individual and injuring four others. Highway Patrolman Green explained to the jury that he
immediately suspected alcohol when he arrived on scene because Mark appeared to be
intoxicated when they spoke. Following the Judge ruling that it was admissible and not
prejudicial, Sergeant Rodney Monroe, from the Highway Patrol Reconstruction Team presented
their reconstruction complete with a high-tech computer animated reenactment of the crash.
During the cross examination, Defense Attorney Long challenged the reconstruction because
the Defense Crash Reconstruction Expert had discovered errors in the mathematical
calculations for vehicle speed. The jury appeared to have liked the reconstruction very much
regardless of the errors highlighted by the defense.
Mark was convicted of DWI, four counts of felony assault, and one count of involuntary
manslaughter; however, he was acquitted of reckless driving and speeding. The Jury said they
could not convict Mark of those offenses because of the mistakes made by law enforcement
officers during the investigation.
Because Mark pleads not guilty, but was convicted during trial and had two prior DWI offenses,
he was sentenced to ten years in the State Prison. Defense Attorney Long immediately notified
the court of an impending appeal that would be filed by the defendant. In a report, using
external sources to support your claims, answer the following:
Compare and contrast the roles of the Judge, Jury, District Attorney (Prosecutor), and
Defense Attorney. What are their primary functions and purposes in the courtroom
Workgroup?
Discuss the rights of the defendant in your state during the trial phase of the criminal justice
process.
Discuss the rights of the victims and/or their families in your state during the pre-trial and
trial phase of the criminal justice process. Would it be unusual for the family of a deceased
victim to become angered by a slow criminal justice process or one where they are not
permitted by law to be given information about the facts or evidence in the case by the District
Attorney's Office before the trial?
Compare and contrast plea-bargaining versus going to trial. Historically, opponents to plea
bargains have claimed that they are used to alleviate heavy workloads of prosecutors (district
attorneys). Prosecutors argue that plea-bargaining is a necessary part of the criminal justice
process for several reasons. Where is the future of the criminal justice process headed in this
regard?