Judicial Independence

Judicial Independence

According to the American Judicature Society (AJS), judicial independence is the idea that judges should operate independently of outside influences and be able to render a fair and impartial decision.

Peter Rose, a California bee keeper, was unemployed at the time he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl. His conviction was vacated by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing after he spent 10 years in prison.

To read more about Peter Rose, click here

Sean Bell was an unarmed black man shot 50 times by New York City police officers on November 25, 2006.

Visit the following websites to learn more about the case:

• http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703977004575393823233738384
• http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89938081

On February 28, 1979, Stanley Williams murdered Albert Lewis Owens during a robbery of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Whittier, California.

For details about the case, visit the following Website:

• http://crime.about.com/od/deathrow/a/tookie2.htm

Read the cases provided above and prepare a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that addresses the following issues:

• Analyzes and explains the facts in the Rose case.
• Describes the causes of wrongful conviction in the Rose case.
• Analyzes and explains the facts of the Williams case.
• Compares the treatment of Rose and Williams by the criminal justice system.
• Analyzes and describes the specific instances of discrimination in the Williams case.
• Analyzes and describes the facts in the Bell case.
• Applies theoretical perspectives of crime to the actions of the officers in the Bell case.
• Discusses the current state of minorities in America.

Add additional content in the Notes section.

Support your responses with examples.

Cite any sources in APA format.