Three Blind Mice v. Farmer's Wife
Jenny Harrod
Backstory
Three blind mice! See how they run. They all ran after the farmer's wife, who cut off their tails with a carving knife. Did you ever see such a thing in your life as three blind mice?
The three blind mice made a statement to the public about what the farmer's wife had done to them, and a judge signed the arrest warrant. The defendant (the farmer's wife) was then arrested and brought before the District Court. As the crime of cutting off the mice's tails was classified as a felony, there was no plea and bail was set by the District Court judge. Next, the prosecuting attorney decided that there was enough evidence to charge the defendant in a preliminary hearing. After that, the case was presented to the Grand Jury by the prosecuting attorney and victims (three blind mice) and a witness (fly on the wall) testify to their account of the defense. Of course, the defendant isn't present for this and doesn't testify. Since Grand Jury proceedings are initially secret, the farmer's wife wasn't informed of them until an indictment (true bill) is returned. The true bill formally charged the defendant, sending the case to Superior Court. At the pre-arraignment conference the defendant is notified of the indictment as well as the time, place, and date of arraignment (when the defendant is called before a court to answer an indictment). The farmer's wife decides a public defender is necessary at this point. At the arraignment, the bail is reset and the time and date of case is placed on the court docket. Moving right along, the pre-trial conference commences after that. This is where the case could possibly be settled through plea bargaining. In anticipation of trial, the petit jury is selected and witnesses are summoned to court (the fly on the wall almost didn't come and therefore almost subpoenaed to court). Finally the trial begins. The prosecution (brings the case) and the defense (farmer's wife in this case) present their cases to the petit jury and the witness testifies and swears not to commit perjury (lying under oath). The fly on the wall convinces the jury he saw everything, and the lack of tails on the mice explains itself. The jury reached a verdict almost unanimously.... the farmer's wife is convicted (found guilty) and the judge gives a fair sentence. The farmer's wife may want to appeal but the results will most likely remain unchanged.