Final Project CRIJ 1301
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PICKING COTTON 1
Semester Paper
Lisa Opoku
Introduction to Criminal Justice
CRIJ 1301
May 4, 2023
Dr. Bourgeois
Lone Star College-CyFair
PICKING COTTON 2
Book Summary and Reflection
Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, Ronald Cotton, and Erin Torneo authored the book, Picking
Cotton. The book is a memoir that narrates the unjust imprisonment of Ronald Cotton for sexual assault and Jennifer Thompson's contribution to his unlawful incarceration. In Picking Cotton, the authors point out the shortcomings of the criminal justice system (Thompson-Cannino et al., 2010). For instance, they highlight the utilization of defective eyewitness recognition and the unaccountability and irresponsibility of prosecutors and law enforcement agencies.
One of the most interesting things about Picking Cotton is how straightforwardly the criminal justice system can imprison innocent individuals. Cotton was convicted solely on Thompson's eyewitness recognition, which was later proven wrong (Thompson-Cannino et al., 2010). I concur with the author's point that the criminal justice system must be amended. Stakeholders cannot turn a blind eye to the shortcomings of the criminal justice system depicted in the book. The authors could have made this documentary better by discussing the policy and practice implications of the issues they discuss. The issues and themes discussed in Picking Cotton correlate with multiple topics covered
in class. Regarding crime management, the authors discuss public safety and crime prevention issues. They discuss the effect of wrongful conviction and incarceration on Cotton’s life. They also indicate that the criminal justice system's flaws can result in wrongful conviction and incarceration of public members. Moreover, regarding police, Picking Cotton raises critical questions about the role of police in the criminal justice system. Jennifer Thompson discusses her experiences with law the police after being sexually assaulted. Picking Cotton also discusses the arrest of Cotton by police officers and how the officers contributed to the wrongful conviction of Cotton. The police led Jennifer to believe that Cotton was the transgressor.
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Regarding courts and adjudication, Jennifer and Cotton provide personal accounts of the legal proceedings of the case. The book highlights the court proceedings and the role of judges and lawyers in Cotton’s unlawful conviction. The authors discuss the need for court reforms to ensure that suspects are judged fairly. Regarding pretrial procedures, the book discusses the lineup and identification that led to Cotton’s arrest and the legal proceedings that came after his arrest. The authors discuss eyewitness identification mistakes and the potential for wrongful convictions when police officers fail to conduct identification procedures properly.
Regarding plea bargaining and the criminal trial, Picking Cotton indicates that there is potential for coerced pleas when suspects face harsh sentences. A defendant will likely receive an unfair trial and be wrongfully convicted if the evidence presented to the jury is unreliable (Cole, G. F., Smith, C. E., & DeJong, C. 2022). Picking Cotton raises critical questions regarding
the justness of plea bargaining and the criminal trial process. The authors add that the criminal justice system must provide adequate legal representation to defendants, especially those unable to hire attorneys. This will help ensure that the constitutional right of all defendants is safeguarded throughout the plea bargaining and trial processes.
Generally, Picking Cotton presents us with real-life scenarios that reveal the intricacies and faults of the criminal justice system. This helps us better understand the material covered in class. Reading Picking Cotton has made me realize the significance of accountability and responsibility in the criminal justice system. Cotton's unlawful imprisonment depicts the severe impacts of a flawed system. Moreover, the book has significantly transformed my opinion regarding the criminal justice system and the need for reform. All the relevant stakeholders must work collaboratively to address the issues raised by the authors to create a more impartial system.
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The information and issues discussed in the book also have substantial policy and practice implications. Policymakers and criminal justice experts must emphasize the utilization of dependable evidence and appropriate methods to thwart unlawful sentences. Furthermore, they must uphold answerability and responsibility to guarantee that the system serves justice impartially and precisely. Criminal Justice Questions About Picking Cotton
It is quite unfortunate and absurd that it took the jury only a few hours to conclude that Cotton was guilty as charged, despite the absence of physical evidence tying him to the crime scene. Cotton pleaded not guilty and upheld his guiltlessness during the trial. After reading Jennifer's story, I was partially convinced that Cotton was guilty because Jennifer, the sexual assault victim, was certain that Cotton was the criminal (Thompson-Cannino et al., 2010). In the second trial, I was surprised and upset by the fact that Cotton was again declared guilty despite the DNA evidence demonstrating he was innocent. Cotton's writings depict the challenges that innocent men are forced to deal with in prison. Picking Cotton reveals how imprisonment can convert a man into a beast. Sending and receiving to and from his family significantly helped him with the constant struggle to remain sane and human while in prison. Additionally, the concept of forgiveness played a vital role in the book. Jennifer acknowledges her mistake and seeks forgiveness, and Cotton ultimately forgives her. Forgiveness helped them overcome their differences and advocate for a better criminal justice system (Lacey & Pickard, 2015). Racial discrimination also played a crucial role in Cotton's unjust sentence. He was a black man in the South during the 1980s (Weitzer, 1996). Racial discrimination was one of the major flaws of the criminal justice system in the 1980s.
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As the book depicts, eyewitness testimony can be undependable due to memory alteration and external factors influence (Douglass & Steblay, 2006). An instance from the book that proves this includes Jennifer's misidentification of Cotton as the perpetrator. Moreover, as demonstrated in the book, Modern forensic practices such as DNA testing could have changed the outcome of the case. Cotton could have received a fair trial if the crime had occurred a decade later. One instance from the book is the DNA evidence that eventually vindicated Cotton.
Psychology-Related Questions About Picking Cotton
I feel very skeptical about the dependability of eyewitnesses after reading Picking Cotton. In multiple instances, eyewitnesses relayed incorrect information, leading to the unjust imprisonment of innocent individuals (Beety, 2012). For instance, Jennifer was convinced that Cotton sexually her, leading to his unlawful conviction irrespective of the absence of evidence tying him to the scene. Additionally, the book has changed how I view the judicial system. I initially thought it was a generally fair and just system, but the issues raised in the book prove otherwise. Racial bias and delinquency by law enforcement and prosecutors have riddled the criminal justice system (Thompson-Cannino et al., 2010). These issues are profoundly troubling and show how personal biases and mistakes can sway the system.
Law enforcement officers can "contaminate" a witness' memory through suggestive questioning and other influences. In the case of Jennifer, investigators repeatedly suggested to her that Cotton was the criminal. They showed her his picture several times and framed the inquiry as a hunt rather than a revelation. Finally, the best practices for onlooker recognition methods include utilizing a double-blind lineup, showing potential witness photos or lineup options one at a time, and warning the witness that the actual perpetrator may not be among the
PICKING COTTON 6
suspects lined up (Gronlund et al., 2014). These methods prevent the witness from feeling distressed about making a choice.
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References
Beety, V. E. (2012). What the brain saw: The case of Trayvon Martin and the need for eyewitness identification reform.
DENv. UL REv.
,
90
, 331. Douglass, A. B., & Steblay, N. (2006, October 25). Memory distortion in eyewitnesses: A meta‐
analysis of the post ...
Retrieved May 4, 2023, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acp.1237
Cole, G. F., Smith, C. E., & DeJong, C. (2022). Criminal justice in America
. Cengage. Gronlund, S. D., Wixted, J. T., & Mickes, L. (2014, February 3). Evaluating eyewitness identification procedures using receiver ...
Retrieved May 4, 2023, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0963721413498891
Lacey, N., & Pickard, H. (2015, April 2). To Blame or to Forgive? Reconciling Punishment and Forgiveness in Criminal Justice.
Home Page. Retrieved May 4, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.1093/ojls/gqv012
Thompson-Cannino, J., Cotton, R., & Torneo, E. (2010). Picking Cotton: our memoir of Injustice
and Redemption
. St. Martin's Griffin.
Weitzer, R. (1996). Racial discrimination in the criminal justice system: Findings and problems in the literature. Journal of Criminal Justice
, 24
(4), 309–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-
2352(96)00015-3
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