Criminal Justice Case Summary

In his book, Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text For The 21th Century, author Frank Schmalleger inform us that two social realities coexist in prison setting; the first, being the official structure of rules and procedures put in place by the wider society and enforced by prison staff, the second, being the more informal and intimate world of the inmate, namely the prison subculture (Schmalleger, 2001). Prison subculture, in its broad sense, refers to the customs, beliefs, attitudes, values and lifestyles of prison inmates (Dugger, 2017). Here, inmates develop their own myths, slang, customs, rewards, and sanctions; with their own values, roles, language and leadership structure (Clear, Cole, Petrosino, Reisig, 2015).

John Williams was recently incarcerated for the violent murder of three young women. Prior to his arrest, police were on edge because the small town in Arkansas had never experienced anything like that before. Each girl was taken within a week from each other, all while they were out after dark taking a short cut home. Sadly they were all found buried deep in the woods after weeks of searching. The town went into shock; citizens were exhibiting both fear and rage for the loss of the precious girls from their community.

On July 17, 2014, 43 years old black man named Eric Garner was selling loose cigarettes illegally on Staten Island. As the polices approach Erica to make their arrest, he raised both hands in the air and requested for both officers to not touch him. Meanwhile, the second officer came behind Eric and put him in a choke hold in order to restrain the 350 pounds man down to the ground. After he was restrained to the ground both officers roll him over onto his stomach. Within seconds after being roll over to his stomach Erica Garner repeatedly shouted to the police officer, "I can't breathe!", while he was laying on his stomach face down to the sidewalk pavement. Suddenly, the 350-pound black male died of compression of the neck from the officer's

In Montecito Heights, CA, a woman was out taking her dog for a walk in Ernest E. Debs Park (LINK 1) when she discovered the bodies of two teen girls. The girls were identified as Briana Gallegos 17, and Gabriela Calzada 19, who was not mentioned if they were in a gang themselves, they were affiliates of a local gang.

On March 23, 2010, a cop drew closer Israel Leija, Jr. at a drive-in diner with a warrant for his capture. Leija continued to lead the police on a fast pursue on the interstate while occasionally calling the police dispatcher, saying that he had a weapon and threatening to shoot the officers pursuing him. The officers proceeded with their interest, and different officers sent spike strips. Trooper Chadrin Lee Mullenix, after discovering that other spike strips were set up, chose to seek after the substitute strategy of shooting at Leija's car keeping in mind the end goal to stop it. Despite the fact that he had not got preparing on this move, he educated one of the officers in quest for his arrangement and radioed his manager for authorization. Before accepting the permission of his boss, Mullenix got in position on a

Larry Darnell Booker was placed on indeterminate supervised probation on November 19, 2016, after evidence was found sufficient on charges of entering a vehicle and grand larceny. Larry was also ordered to 30 days of electronic monitoring, 75 hours of community service work, a substance abuse evaluation and restitution in the amount of $550.00. Larry successfully completed the community service work, electronic monitoring and the substance abuse assessment. Larry assessment indicated substance abuse treatment was necessary and Larry completed treatment with no issues. On December 14, 2016, evidence was found sufficient for a finding of guilt on a charge resisting arrest against Larry. Larry was ordered to remain on supervision and complete

Finding the three eight year old boys murders was clearly the main goal of the West Memphis Police department. “About 8 P.M. on May 5, 1993, the West Memphis police department received a call... Christopher Byers, was missing… Within the next ninety minutes, police responded to two more calls from worried parents.” (Linder). The police department had no luck finding the boys that first night, but after many hours of searching they found them the next morning in the Robin Hood Hills Forest. “Steve (Stevie) Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore, all second-graders, had been hogtied with their own shoelaces, sexually mutilated, beaten, and left for dead.” (Egan & Colby). The whole town was then in a huge uproar of rage and grief, for there were rumors that the boys were used in a satanic cult ritual. Naturally everyone in the town wanted to point fingers at someone, throw somebody in jail, and make them pay for what had happened. Those people just so happened to be the West Memphis Three, it was evident that these boys were invested in the heavy metal culture just upon the way they

He went to a rehab center over in Columbia for a year and then that is

In 1992, Cameron Todd Willingham was accused of intentionally lighting all three of his children on fire. In 2004, he was executed. Shortly after, the Texas Forensic Science Commission found evidence against this statement, proving Willingham’s innocence. As it turns out, the evidence used against him was invalid, ruling it an accident. (Eric, “8 People Who Were Executed And Later Found Innocent”) But no good came from it, he was already dead.

FACTS:  Two men Brady and Boblit were were found guilty of murder in the first degree. The two men were sentenced to death. Both of the men received separate trials. After the trial Brady confessed to planning and commission of the crime, but denied personally committing the murder. Brady’s attorney had requested access to the police statement, but one statement was not present to the court. The statement of Boblit, that he confessed, personally committing the murder himself. The defense requested an appeal and the court of Maryland agreed, and the trial of withholding of evidence proceeded, the court ruled that this was a violation of due process, and remanded the case, and new proceedings commenced.

Erik Jensen and Nathan Ybanez were both sentenced to life in prison without parole after being charged with felony murder in regards to the death of Nathan’s mother, Julie Ybanez. However, many people believe this sentencing to be too harsh due to the ages of the boys (who were 16 and 17). Many people also believe that Erik Jensen shouldn’t have been given life without parole even if he was an adult because it was never proven that he was involved with the murder, only tampering with evidence, as he helped Ybanez clean up the crime scene and remove Julie Ybanez’s body. Others believe Erik played an equal part of the murder, because he never attempted to intervene, his fingerprints were on the murder weapon, and his knees were covered in Mrs. Ybanez’s blood.

On May 5th, 1993 three eight year old boys were reported missing in West Memphis, Arkansas. The boys were found the next day, hog tied in a wooded area called “Robin Hood Hills”. After the case had been “thoroughly” investigated, the West Memphis Police announced on the news that they had found the murderers, pointing fingers at Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin, three teenagers who were different from the norm in West Memphis, making it easy for them to be accused. I believe the boys were wrongfully accused of this crime because there is a lack of evidence in the case pointing to the boys, and the crime just seems to convenient for these three to actually pull off.

Miles, his wife, and his one son exited through the old rusty door of Holy Family Catholic Church. It was where he grew up. Literally. Miles Thonn, a young 28 year and energetic tattoo artist, was born in 1987 on the east side of Cleveland into a troubled household. The situation of him and his parents was not understood, is not understood, and won’t ever be solved, unless some crazy event happens. As a kid, Miles was surrounded by a culture deeply involved with the police. Every night he would hear sirens, yelling, and sometimes

After thirty-three years Keith Harward come out of the prison on this Friday. He has spent all those years of his life aimed at a murder and rape he did not commit. After he has been trying almost all of his routes, in 2006 he knew about the Innocence Project then he spoke to them. Earlier this week, Virginia's Attorney suggested doing the DNA testing, which was not available at that time when he was arrested. The case went to trial and finally exonerated him. “My parents died before they can see me an innocent man” he answered media people when they asked him what was the worst part in prison. Studies done by Innocence Project said that around 5% of all prisoners in the U.S. are innocent. Thereupon, a state must recompense people who are unjustly

The first process is the entry into the system. A crime must be done, felony or misdemeanor, and reported as well as investigated. Law enforcement agencies are able to arrest an individual and take them into custody and booked them and or accuse a person of the committed crime. Next, the government has the power to decide whether the evidence presented by law enforcement is sufficient in order to continue on with the prosecution of the offender. The decision that the law enforcement and the officials of the prosecutor’s office make can always be changed or cancelled by the prosecutor’s office only. The prosecutor has the ability to bring the defendant to trial. If done so, many preliminary steps are done in order to maintain the due process