6th Amendment
Ivan Medina
Amendments as an constitution
In all criminal prosecutions ,the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial,by an impartial jury of the state and district where in the crime shall have been previously ascertained by law , and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him;to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor ,and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense
Why the 6 amendment was in the constitution
Trial by jury ,the assistance of counsel,and the right to a speedy trial all existed in some form in England before they were transported to England's colonies in America.By the middle of the twelfth century trials routinely called upon the oldest and most respected people from a defendants neighborhood to testify at his or her trial and even decide the outcome of the trial. It was included in the constitution because many people worried that the constitution did not do enough to ensure the people's rights.
Amendments in my own words
Everyone has the right to a speedy and fair trial by jury.
Modern court case
The Supreme Court found that a defendants speedy trial rights were violated when there was more than an 8 year gap between his indictment and his subsequent prosecution.
The court focused on the"extraordinary 81/2-year lag between his indictment and arrest " and the government was to blame for the delay.
Citation
"The Sixth Amendment." Constitutional Amendments: From Freedom of Speech to Flag Burning. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. Detroit: UXL, 2008. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.