Hiya Law,
On Tuesday, we’ll finish talking about the Supreme Court by discussing the six assigned articles in some detail.
By Thursday, please listen to Episode 13 of the podcast “In the Dark,” which explores the case of Curtis Flowers, who’s been tried six times for murdering four people in Winona, Mississippi, in 1997. Until recently, he’d been on death row for 23 years.
Near the end of the semester, we’ll look at how media coverage can affect trials, including jury selection, and how the court attempts to minimize any adverse effects. One way is through peremptory challenges, which allow attorneys to remove prospective jurors from the pool for no stated reason. In this case, Doug Evans, the white prosecutor, has attempted to convict Flowers, who is black, by removing all black jurors from the pool, a practice that was deemed unconstitutional in 1986. Three of Flowers’ convictions have been overturned by the Mississippi Supreme Court because of prosecutorial misconduct and two were hung juries.
The Supreme Court last spring heard the case, Flowers v. Mississippi. This episode of the podcast takes you inside the Court as the case is heard. The Court’s eventual decision determined that Evans was once again guilty of misconduct, and Flowers has been released on bail pending the state’s decision if it will try him for a seventh time.
For Thursday, your assignment is to bring to class a one-page, typed list of four aspects of this podcast that got your attention and why. A few lines on each observation is sufficient. Keep your thoughts focused on the justices and the process. We’ll talk about the Flowers’ oral arguments, and also start our discussion of Sedition.
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Best,
k
Journalism and Law 