Criminal Case
Module 7 Lesson 1 Mastery Assignment
A witness named Jerry, a farmer, saw his wife Isabella harming mice. Jerry called the cops; shortly after their arrival and search on the scene, the police officer decided to arrest Isabella because he saw the mice with their tails cut off. "I will be needing a public defender," said Isabella when the police officer informed of her rights.
After being arrested, the police investigated at the crime scene to find any additional evidences. Then, the police officer wrote an arrest report to the Prosecutor. The arrest report included what happen before, during, and after the crime. The Prosecutor took the evidence to the grand jury to see if there was enough evidence to file an indictment.
The evidence that was brought to the grand jury is the mice, Jerry's statement, and another witness named Donna. Donna is a neighbor of Isabella who heard screaming. Both of the witness, Jerry and Donna, received subpoena and agreed to be witnesses to the case brought against Isabella.
Jerry
Isabella's husband who saw the scene.
Donna
A neighbor of Isabella who heard screaming.
Mice
The mice that Isabella cut their tails off.
The grand jury all agreed to file an indictment. After gathering the evidence and filing the indictment, the Prosecutor brought the case to the Judge who decides whether there is enough evidence to proceed in the case and whether the crime is a felony or misdemeanor. The Judge says, "yes and the case is a felony." While the Judge decided to proceed in the case, Isabella told her public defender her point of view on what happen before, during, and after the crime, "it was self defense, and those mice chased me. I had to do whatever to keep myself safe."
Then, Isabella and her public defender is brought before the Judge to begin the arraignment. The Prosecutor offered Isabella with a plea-bargaining. The plea bargain the Prosecutor offer was if Isabella pleads guilty, her sentenced would be reduced to 5 years instead of 10 years. But Isabella simply rejected the offer.
"The defendant, Isabella, is brought here today to charge you with animal abuse as a felony and your bail is set $500,000. The bail is money you have to pay in order to stay out of jail but you must attend the trial. Are you pleading guilty or not guilty?" says the Judge. Isabella responded, "not guilty." The prosecution begins because Isabella was now heading to trial. Isabella and her public defender requested a petit jury for the trial instead of Judge.
In the trial, the witnesses, Judge, petit jury, Prosecutor the defender and her public defender was all present. The trial began with the Prosecutor and the public defender's opening statement. The Prosecutor brought Jerry; when the Prosecutor lifted a the cage of mice with shorten tails, he asked, "What happened?" Jerry, under oath, gave his testimony, "I saw my wife cut of the 3 mice tails." Then, the Prosecutor brought in Donna who informed everyone of Isabella's screaming. The public defender told the petit jury, "This proves that before the incident Isabella was being harmed. Harming the mice was self defense." The trial was now about to end with both parties stating their closing statement and highlighted evidences that will convince the petit jury to rule in their favor.
In the closing of the case, the judge gave instructions to the jury concerning with the laws relating to the case. The jury was escorted to a private room. After 30 minutes, the jury returned from voting. "Have the jury made a verdict yet concerning with Isabella's case? Is the jury acquitted or convicted Isabella?" said the Judge. The jury replied, "We believed Isabella is acquitted because she was using self-defense against the mice."
After hearing the jury's decision, suddenly Jerry screamed, "how could this happen? I made sure I trained the mice very well in order to get my wife in jail. I knew she was scared of mice." The Judge quickly put order in the court and charges Jerry with perjury. The Prosecutor didn't appeal the case but instead try to prosecute Jerry with a new trial.