Law Enforcement on Criminal Cases - Critical Analysis Essay Sample

Introduction

At times during a conviction, a defendant's rights are violated, and justice most likely is served inaccurately. At times even the evidence obtained may not necessarily be accurate, and some laws may also be bent when getting the evidence. It directly affects the defendant and may deny them the justice they deserve. In the Brown Mississippi case, it involved a plaintiff who was vindicated from their case (Estabrooks, 2016). This paper critically analyzes the proceedings of the Brown Mississippi, how the rights were violated, and how they were later on acquitted after the several appeals, they made.

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Brown Mississippi

The case mainly involved Brown Mississippi, who was charged with murder. The rulings of this case were a death sentence. However, the verdicts were made using evidence that was obtained appropriately. Brown said he was forced to confess that he murdered after being severely beaten by police officers. It indicates the police's right violation as the law enforcers, the evidence obtained after beating Brown was acquired in a corrupt manner. The record of Brown's confession was the only evidence used during his conviction.

During his trial, Brown denied the accusation and rejected the evidence that was presented before the jury. However, the board proceeded with the rulings and charged Brown guilty and convicted him with a death sentence. Brown also mentioned that he was sentenced a result of the thorough beatings from the police officers that made him testify forcefully, therefore objecting to the ruling (Estabrooks, 2016). Several witnesses were summoned to attest to the police officers' beatings. Other plaintiffs alongside Brown had cicatrices that were evident at the time of trial due to the severe blows inflicted on them to force their testimonies. The preceding judge over their case doubted the validity of the evidence presented. Nonetheless, the judge forwarded the case to the jury. The plaintiffs were nevertheless found guilty during the ruling.

Appeal

Brown filed an appeal to the Mississippi state supreme. However, the court still verified the rulings. He further appealed his case to the Supreme court of the United States, the court, this time granted an appeal approval (Gohara,2018). During the appeal, the court ruled that the plaintiff's rights were violated by making them confess forcefully. The forceful confession countered a clause in the fourteenth amendment. The Supreme court of the United States concurred with the rulings of the Mississippi state supreme court, therefore, overturning its decision and upholding the defendant's claim.

In the ruling of the Mississippi supreme court ruled that it was not possible to exempt trial to the plaintiffs. Even after presenting the evidence to the court that indicated abuse of their rights during the process of obtaining evidence used to convict them. Therefore, the other jury at the Mississippi supreme court overruled the possibility of acquitting the plaintiffs (Re,2015). The Mississippi court claimed that the ruling could be reversed upon appealing and not on the grounds of the violation of the fourteenth amendment of the constitutional rights. The United States Supreme court considered the plaintiffs' claim and whether they willingly or forcefully made the confessions.

Violation

According to the fourteenth amendment, it necessitates that all state actions coincide with the principles of liberty and justice. Therefore, the ruling on the case determined by the evidence obtained from the defendants forcefully was a grievous violation of the policies. Thus, the evidence presented before the jury was biased and did not adhere to the laws of justice and liberty (Reiff, 2013). They were because the defendants' confessions were the only evidence presented before the jury the ruling was biased. Since the court also had evidence of inappropriate methods used to obtain the evidence by the witnesses in the court. Also, the cicatrices on some of the defendant's body presented during the trial, it was appropriate for the highest court of the land to overturn the rulings.

The Brown Mississippi case ruling laid a foundation for the judicial systems to review their conduct. The federal judiciary had to regulate their criminal law protocols. They were establishing procedures that reassure that law will be strictly followed during the trials of any cases (Re, 2015). Brown's case pioneered many other such cases that followed later on. The incident led to chattering a motion that proscribed the legal authorities from getting confessions from plaintiffs as evidence, especially obtaining plaintiffs' admission as sole evidence before the court of law.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Brown's case, which was on the murder of an individual, saw the process of obtaining the evidence so biased, ruthless, and unethical. Also, the presentation of the confessions that they were forcefully obtained as the sole evidence was unfair. Thus, their appeal to the highest court of the land guided the judiciary systems to review their practices on handling the criminal defendants' cases. It revealed the direct interrelation of the fourteenth amendment and federal rights.

References

Estabrooks, M. S. (2016). Criminal Appeals in the Supreme Court of Canada and Federal Criminal Law Amendments. Crim. LQ, 63, 4.

Gohara, M. S. (2018). In defense of the injured: How trauma-informed criminal defense can reform sentencing. Am. J. Crim. L., 45, 1.

Re, R. M. (2015). Narrowing Supreme Court Precedent from Below. Geo. LJ, 104, 921.

Reiff, J. T. (2013). “Born of Conviction.” The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi, 157–174. https://doi.org/10.14325/mississippi/9781617039331.003.0007