Tess Final Annotated Source List q1

Tess Weber
Annotated Source List

A Body in the Bay. The Jinx, HBO, 8 Feb. 2015.
Summary:
In this episode of The Jinx (1) we are introduced to Robert Durst, estranged member of
the multi-million dollar real-estate Company and family. He is not explicitly mentioned by name
in the opening scenes. The first of four examined murders is presented, and we are given a name
of an old, mute woman living in the apartment. Throughout the opening minutes, you are left
guessing until you realize that the woman is actually Durst, in hiding, on the run from the police
after the disappearance of his wife. We are introduced to the fortune the family sits upon, and the
root of why Durst may have committed these murders. We dont get introduced to Durst very
much in the opening episode, it is more of a set up for how the documentary series is going to go.
Application to Research:
Tess Weber
This can be used in my research because it shows how much money can get a person on
the run from the police. He was able to pay all cash, buy a wig, shave his eyebrows off, and
create a new life in a small town in Texas where no one would ever catch him. And no one did.
Until a young boy fishing catches a plastic bag, in which he finds the remains of a dismembered
body. In this, they explain the evidence, which helps set up the next few episodes, where we
meet Dursts lawyers and the angle they present in the court room. We are also introduced to the
fact that Durst was given over a two hundred thousand dollar bail, which he paid without batting
an eye. It was just pocket change to him.Ajinkya, Julie. The Top 5 Facts About Women in Our
Criminal Justice System. Center for
American Progress, 7 Mar. 2012,
www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/news/2012/03/07/11219/the-top-5-facts-aboutwomen-in-our-criminal-justice-system/.
Summary:
Woman are now being incarcerated at twice the rate of men in the United States. Women
incarcerated are often victims of past abuse, rape, and any number of traumatizing events.
However, women and men alike are not given the proper care and attention in addressing
these issues. In the past three decades, the number of women imprisoned has increased by over
eight hundred percent even more for those of color. Perhaps even more disturbing is the
number of young girls entering the juvenile system and treated with humiliation and
dehumanizing behavior from a very young age. Instead of rehabilitation and reintegrating the
girls into society, the system further isolates them until they have near no hope to being a
normal member of society ever again. Another shocking revelation is that mothers are shackled
while giving birth to children risking not only the health of the mother, but their child as well.
Tess Weber
This article gives a lot of emotional examples as to how women are abused in the court
systems. It also gives startling statistics such as women going to prison at double the rate of
men which is something I never knew and likely never would have guessed as men are often
broadcasted more in mass media than women are.
Barnes, Robert et al. Do the Religious Beliefs of Supreme Court Justices Influence Their
Decisions? Edited by Rachel E. Gross, Moment Magazine, 23 Jan. 2015,
www.momentmag.com/symposium-religion-supreme-court/.
Summary:
This topic breaches a very controversial topic of how religion plays a role in the outcome
of court cases. One man stated that, if asked in the eighties whether or not the justices were
religious, he would have said no. It was just not a topic that was discussed openly at the time. In
the present time, the justices are often are more open about the religion and what it means to
them. More and more often we see personal values affecting public opinion. Perhaps the most
prominent example of this is the way Church and religious views challenging pro-life versus prochoice bringing things such as abortion back to the court again and again and again. Various
religions also have different approaches to breaching the religious-judiciary divide that has been
erected in the constitution. It has been mentioned that religions such as Judaism tend to stay out
of politics and do not attempt to change laws, whereas the Roman Catholic Church tend to make
massive pushes for law changes such as abortions.
Tess Weber
This article can be really beneficial to my research as it is a good jumping off point for
my research on how religion impacts the judicial system. I have very little articles on this right
now maybe just one or two and I feel as though this one gives a broad statement on religion
and how it has developed over the past few decades.
Tess Weber
Berlatsky, Noah. When Men Experience Sexism. The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 29
May 2013, http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/05/when-men-experiencesexism/276355/.
Summary:
Perhaps the most backward version of the discrimination seen in the judicial courts, is
the one where women are favored over men. In most cases, such as the Gender Pay Gap, men are
favored much more than women in a similar situation. However, in court, there are many cases in
which men tend to get harsher punishment than their female counterparts. For example, (even
though it is not a criminal case, it is run through court) men are often only given custody of their
children in about ten percent of divorces. In addition, acts of violence against men are often
taken less seriously than acts of violence against women, as women are seen as the weaker sex
and therefore need more protection; whereas men are seen to be just acting as themselves- as the
popular saying goes Boys will be Boys.
This is beneficial to my research as it helps link cases with similar environments to
compare the outcome and reaction to those cases. It also appeals to men, who are often seen as
those benefiting from societal norms. In this case, it shows that clearly men are not benefiting
from the societal standards pressed upon them, and it appeals to those who feel as though they
are injustice by the judicial system in some way. It creates a less biased and equal footing for all
cases and views in my research, as it showcases the viewpoints of all parties.
Berman, Sara J. Paying a Private Criminal Defense Attorney - Cost of Defense. Nolo.com,
Tess Weber
www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/paying-private-criminal-defense-attorney.html.
Summary:
This article also focuses on why legal proceedings are so expensive. They list them out
categorically.
1. Probable Complexity
2. Lawyers Experience
3. Geography
It also discusses the different types of billings and their advantages and disadvantages.
Hourly billing presents the chance that a case could go on for a long time and the client feels as
though they overpaid. People with fixed fees also may feel ripped off if their case settles. Often
lawyers use retainers, where the client pays a certain amount front up and receives billing as to
how much of it has been used.
This is useful as it can be applied in how or why people choose one lawyer over another.
Depending on what their case is they may feel more inclined to pay for one type of lawyer over
another. It also provides insight as to the various reasons a lawyer may be expensive or cheap
and the benefits and consequences it could have.
Tess Weber
Bookman, Marc et al. 5 Death Penalty Cases Tainted by Racism. Mother Jones, Mother Jones,
24 Mar. 2015, http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/03/racism-courtroom-5-deathpenalty-cases.
Summary:
This document addresses racism within the court system. It talks, not only about things
such as police brutality, but other things, such as the ways a court can manipulate the system in
order to have an all-white jury. The article talks about the various court cases involving the death
penalty in which the analyzers found extreme tones and themes of racism. Five cases are put into
question in extreme detail. One of the cases entails a trial in which a jury was all white. In this
group, one man publicly pronounced his belief that interracial couples should never marry, and
under no circumstances reproduce together. He said so in front of the courtroom, and went into
the trial under an extremely racial bias.
These cases all involve racial issues within the judicial system, which directly correlates
to my subject for the research project. It involves five different cases that ended all with the same
punishment: the death penalty. This is, perhaps, the most extreme punishment to be given within
the United States, or in any part of the world. It can be compared to similar cases, as well as
analyzed for the racial undertones being presented by the article.
Tess Weber
Burdeen, Cherise Fanno. The Dangerous Domino Effect of Not Making Bail. The Atlantic,
Atlantic Media Company, www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/04/the-dangerousdomino-effect-of-not-making-bail/477906/.
Summary:
This article discusses the issue of an inability to post bail, and the adverse effects it has
on the people who must deal with the consequences. In one case, a man unable to post one
hundred dollars was found dead in his cell only hours after being locked up. It is a trend within
the judicial system for people unable to post bail, or who are barely able to post bail, to commit
suicide or die of another cause shortly after being put into a cell or walking free of the jail. Each
year there are over twelve million arrests within the United States -- most nonviolent and low
level charges. About sixty percent of people in jail today have not yet received trial as it jails are
overcrowded with charges such as minor drug charges, where the person was carrying only
enough to be charged with personal possession.
This article is useful as it shows the detrimental effects that the inability to post bail can
have on a person. Sometimes, even if someone can post bail, they are psychologically damaged
to where they can end up hurting himself or even committing suicide due to petty charges.
Tess Weber
CNN Wire Staff. Police Statement Details Roethlisberger's Alleged Assault.CNN, Cable News
Network, 16 Apr. 2010, http://www.cnn.com/2010/crime/04/16/roethlisberger.incident/.
Summary:
In this article they refer to the rape as alleged, creating a tone as though they do not
believe, or are not pushing for the audience to believe the case to be taken as seriously or entirely
truthful. It is explained that young college girls were out for a night of bar hopping when they
saw the famed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He proceeded to buy shots for them and make
crude sexual remarks towards the college aged girls. However, when it came to the trial, it was
one young, drunk, college aged girls word, against that of a franchise. Not a person, but the
Steelers as a whole, an entity. The officer claims to have asked the girl if she had been sexually
assaulted, to which she answered that she did not know what was happening. The officer took
this to mean, no. As such, charges were not filed and Roethlisberger was allowed to walk off,
free and unperturbed by the altercation. It is said that his bodyguards had manned the locked
door of a back room, where Roethlisberger was seen entering behind the young college student,
who had been escorted by another of Roethlisbergers entourage.
This applies to my research because it shows the favoritism towards celebrities, even in
court where it is claimed that all are equal. In this case, despite there being evidence, and likely
security footage from the bar, the police officers did not press charges because they figured that
the girl, who was admittedly, extremely drunk, claimed that she had not been sexually assaulted.
At least in the officers interpretation of her slurred vocabulary. Despite Brock Turners sentence
Tess Weber
being seen as lenient due to his social standings, it is clear that the favoritism can be extended to
even greater extents, such as writing off an allegation completely, when it comes to one of
Americas favorite athletes.
Tess Weber
Cook, Lindsey. No, Justice Is Not Colorblind. US News, U.S.News &Amp; World Report, 11
Dec. 2014, www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2014/12/11/no-justice-is-notcolorblind.
Summary:
The title of this article says it all. One lawyer called the jail system within the United
States the New Jim Crow Laws. Black Americans are incarcerated at a much higher rate than
White Americans. Since 1970, the prison system has grown by over seven hundred percent
despite the high cost of maintaining inmates. People of color are a minority within the United
States, and yet they are the vast majority of incarcerated persons. Perhaps the best example of
institutionalized racism within the judicial system is involving the War on Drugs. Despite both
whites and blacks using drugs at the same rates, African Americans are punished and tried at a
much higher rate than Caucasians are within the States. In Ferguson, Missouri, blacks are not
only convicted, but stopped and searched more often than the white men are, despite the white
population in this area having a much high drug trafficking rate.
I can use this for my research to display the institutionalized racism displayed throughout
the national criminal justice system. The article provides multiple articles, examples, and
statistics that can be used in my final research papers to prove my own point, as well as refute the
counter arguments.
Death Penalty Focus: Racial Disparities. Death Penalty Focus: Racial Disparities,
http://deathpenalty.org/article.php?id=54.
Tess Weber
Summary:
This article highlights the various statistics of death row inmates dating back to 1976. It
gives the race of the inmates, not only in the actual number, but the percentage in relation to all
other inmates. It also details the various victims, what race they were, the percentage of victims,
of the death row inmates. It also gives interesting facts about the racial disparities seen in the
victims of the death penalty. It even gives the facts going state by state. It separates the various
disparities seen in one state in comparison to another. At the end of the report it also gives
various other articles that would be useful for my research and topic application.
This article is useful to my research because it gives concrete statistics and information
about the topic I am researching. The citing of statistics and numbers doesnt present any bias
from the source, so this information can be used reliably. Since the statistics were gathered
directly from the Death Row archives, it is extremely reliable and can be trusted as up to date
information to be used within my research and presentation. It also talks about racial disparities
within the use of the Death Penalty, which can be applied to my research topic. I can also use the
numbers given to come up with my own statistics, such as: of the Caucasians threatened with
death sentence, how many actually received it.
Tess Weber
"Equal Protection, Poverty, and Inequality of Wealth." Exploring Constitutional Conflicts. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
Summary:
Due to the monetary status of the average person within the United States, many laws
have been enacted for the benefit of the masses. Some of these services include: lawyers and
attorneys provided by the state for those unable to procure one by their own means; a
psychoanalyst for people who are expected to have mental illness and must be evaluated before
entering court; and free trial transcripts to the accused party. It did not, however, address things
such as how to treat cases for people of lesser education, from poorer areas, and from the
stereotypical rough life led by those less fortunate than higher class America. For example, the
state of Texas did not rule in favor of changing to having the property tax that funds the public
schools to a state wide program, rather than a county specific one. This allows for more affluent
families with higher property taxes to have more money spent on their kids education, even in
the fair public school system.
This is useful to my research as it demonstrates how particular issues are addressed by
the legal system, versus others which are ignored. It shows the court systems willingness to
address more obvious topics of monetary differentiation, but are able to slide the more obscure
monetary forms of discrimination past the publics critical eye.
Tess Weber
Federal Laws Providing for the Death Penalty. DPIC, Death Penalty Information Center,
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/federal-laws-providing-death-penalty. Sources used by
document: Bureau of Justice Statistics: Capital Punishment 2012
Summary:
This document showcases the various crimes that may result in death penalty. All cases
relate to the murder of another individual. However, there are few cases that may be deemed
constitutional or unconstitutional, which may be deemed only by the judicial court. These
cases include: (1) Trafficking drugs in exceedingly large quantities; (2) Attempting, authorizing,
or advising the killing of any officer, juror, or witness in cases involving a Continuing Criminal
Enterprise, regardless of whether such killing actually occurs. These can be used to address
similar cases in which one person may have received the death penalty, versus someone who got
off with a much lighter sentence. Even life in jail becomes a light sentence when faced with the
possibility of death. Since it doesnt go into extreme detail with the specifics of each case, it
leaves much up to the interpretation of the court, which can also lead to the variation within the
judicial system.
This can be used to compare similar cases with various outcomes. It can show bias trends
within the court rulings of criminals being charged with the same crime, yet one manages to get
off with a much lighter sentence. It also demonstrates what the court can deem unconstitutional
such as cases involving drug trafficking. There has been many cases throughout history where
someone charged with drug trafficking is charged with the death penalty and yet others will not.
Glover, Sam. Why Are Lawyers So Expensive? I'll Tell You Why. Lawyerist.com, 14 June
Tess Weber
2016, lawyerist.com/77964/lawyers-expensive-ill-tell/.
Summary:
One of the main points of this article is to discuss the reason of why lawyers are so
expensive. The author states that one of the main reasons is the fact that someones case, their
issues, transfer over to the lawyer. He even mentions a case when a lawyer abandoned his Ferrari
in a rising flood waters, called a cab, and whisked off to the courthouse in fear of missing a trial
being heard that day. Therefore, the less you are willing to pay a lawyer, the lower their
obligation will be to you -- the client. His main point is that to change the cost of a lawyer, to
have their pay be lower, to have them charge low hourly rates, means to change what it means to
be represented in court. When a lawyer agrees to represent someone, the client is essentially
relieved of their issues and troubles; the lawyers take on the issues, constantly reading
depositions, compiling casework, and conferring with people at all hours of the day.
This article is very useful as it helps paint a picture as to why the cost of having a lawyer
represent you is so high. It puts the entire ordeal into perspective. There were also good quotes
that I believe can be utilized in my final research paper.
Tess Weber
Grinberg, Emanuella. Brock Turner Set to Leave Jail Early. CNN, Cable News Network,
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/01/us/brock-turner-release/.
Summary:
In this article, the topic of rape victims is addressed in the famed Brock Turner case, in
which he raped a woman exiting a Stanford party. It describes the encounter as told in court, and
includes the letter the victim wrote, addressing her attacker. This letter details the experience of
the victim in full, tugging at the heart strings of readers as they watch the event play out in
minds eye. And yet, it all appears to be for nothing. Despite the jury finding the defendant
guilty, he is sentenced just six years in jail. And of those six years, he completes not even one
before being released, given parole, and the title Sex Offender, as well as his punishment of
attending sexual offenders management program, where he will undergo treatment from 1-3
years. Sexual offenders cannot live within one thousand feet of a school or day care center, but in
many cases this does not affect the person, as one thousand feet isnt even a fifth of a mile. Their
movements are considered monitored, but not at all times as that would deplete the enforcement
numbers that could be out stopping similar cases from occurring. As punishment for his case,
Turner was banned from United States Swimming. However, this was more out of necessity than
true anger. The association would come under fire if they continued to let Turner swim, an
undeniable, however passive, sort of support for the deplorable actions committed by the man. In
addition, Stanford has banned hard liquor on their campus. However, this action has come under
more fire than it has been given support. It is a well-known fact that, while hard liquor can create
the effect of being drunk much faster, things such as wine and beer can accomplish the same
experience and feeling if one tries hard enough.
Tess Weber
Application to Research
This is useful to my research because it shows the leniency towards someone of
Caucasian decent and of an affluent background. It can be used to contrast similar cases in the
African American community, as well as the cases involving more famous personalities who
committed the same crime, such as the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ben
Roethlisberger, who was blamed for the sexual assault of two females. While Turner got off
easier than, perhaps someone of minority, he was not given the leniency of someone with
millions of dollars to their name, and a franchises success and popularity riding on their
shoulders. It can be used to compare and contrast such cases and the various outcomes for all of
these cases.
Tess Weber
Holloway, Kali. Theres a Scientific Reason for the Racism Built into Americas Criminal
Justice System. Salon, www.salon.com/2015/07/23/theres_a_scientific_reason_partner/.
Summary:
This article provides insight into why the judicial system is racist. It is a response article
to Obamas touring of the country, insisting and pleading upon the nation for reform in the court
systems across the states. The United States jails more of its population than any other nation in
the world, despite us holding only five percent of the total people on the planet! However
evidence shows that one out of four people convicted and found guilty of a crime, are later found
not guilty due to evidence being found at a later date. These people tend to be convicted because
they made an incriminating statement that caused the jury to deem the defendant guilty of the
crime they are charged with. In addition, people with mental disorders and disabilities are often
more likely to admit to a crime they didnt commit in order to appease those questioning them,
and to get out of the high tension, anxiety-inducing situation that arises with questioning. A lot of
evidence shows that affiliations with a particular political party, or religion can sway a persons
mind as to whether or not they will find someone guilty of a crime. Often times, older,
conservative, catholic women will be less likely to convict a man of rape as they hold certain
views in their mind that already decided the outcome of a trial.
I can use this in my research to display the various ways psychology has an effect on the
way the judicial system is run, and the innate biases that affect decisions made by an impartial
third party (jury).
Tess Weber
Leavy, Shane. Does Justice System Discriminate against Men? The Harvest: 1 Jan. 1970,
http://shaneleavy.blogspot.com/2011/01/does-justice-system-discriminate.html.
Summary:
This article discusses the allegations against men and how the discrimination against the
male gender goes relatively unnoticed by the court system and general public. It mentions that
stop and search is normally only conducted on men. However, since these also are normally
biased based off of race, the bias against men becomes a less noticed fact, one that slides under
the radar of most people. For example, only about 2.0% of all death sentences are handed out to
woman, as sentencing women to death is much less accepted within society, and would be met
with angered masses. Since 1632, only 569 out of nearly 20,000 total executions are women.
One of the defenses commonly used in court is that women being convicted were emotionally
disturbed or distraught, and men cant easily use this as defense as they are naturally seen as
stronger and less emotional.
This can be used to create an alternate view as it is not often that men being victims is not
a common theme anywhere! This creates an interesting perspective that can be utilized in order
to create a feeling of ethos within a male audience, as sympathy is shown to all sides, and it
allows for all views to be addressed and analyzed thoroughly.
Tess Weber
Lee, Vernon. Wealth and Politics Influence Justice System. Wealth and Politics Influence
Justice System, Daily Times News, 16 Apr. 2011,
www.delcotimes.com/article/DC/20110416/NEWS/304169997.
Summary:
In the United States of America, we are allegedly presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Contrary to what you may believe, these simple words only mean in you have enough money
and resources to defend yourself. If you are not wealthy, do not have family ties to wealth or do
not know anyone with political influence, you chances of proving your innocence are slim to
none. The author makes strong arguments, such as appearance. When a defendant is unable to
post bail, they come into the court room in prison garb and cuffed creating an early impression
of being guilty. In most cases (perhaps all) bail is not posted based on the financial status of the
victim. This means, many are often left with a bail far above what they can afford. In the original
Bill of Rights, excessive bail is forbidden, yet that does not seem to be the case today.
This article does a good job of demonstrating what my mentor was talking about the bail
system and how it is biased towards the rich and unfair to the average person. It has strong points
and good diction, which makes it a good source later on for my research paper to where I can
pull quotations that have both factual support and an appeal to the emotion of my readers.
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O.J. Simpson Acquitted. History.com, A&E Television Networks, 1995,
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/o-j-simpson-acquitted.
Summary:
The bulk of this article tells the story of the famous O.J. Simpson trial. In 1989 O.J.
Simpson was accused of marital abuse and accepted all charges. As a high profile athlete,
beloved by fans across the globe, it was a major shock to the American people that he was
convicted of and going to be tried for the murder of two people in 1994. His 252 day trial was
the longest in the history of California. It explained Simpsons lawyers explanations which
helped to disprove seemingly concrete evidence that would prove the football player guilty. They
claimed the officers involved in the arrest were racist, the investigation was fraught with holes,
and the evidence was blundered by the investigators. They spent weeks attacking the
incriminating evidence, calling out the faults in the process of gathering and processing
evidence, specifically that involved in the collection and analyzation of the DNA gathered from
both the crime scene and Simpson himself. The intriguing part of the case, however, lies far
outside of the courtroom. Americans were polled, and with a staggering numbers, the majority of
African Americans believed Simpson to be innocent, while the affluent, Caucasian men tended to
believe him guilty of all charges. This is a possible display of racist undertones when it comes to
court trials. Simpson was able to avoid a majority of charges in this case, however he was then
convicted in 2007 and later 2008 for breaking and entering, stealing, armed robbery, and
kidnapping.
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This can be used for my research as it emphasizes the possibility and complications of
trials involving people of color versus the Caucasian man. It also talks about the use of monetary
status in order to escape federal charges and mentions Simpson having expensive lawyers.
This all factors into my research questions, as I want to study the way people of certain social
classes and races are treated in court, and compare them to deduce a hypothesis as to whether
one is treated more favorably than another.
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Ph.D., Letrell Crittenden. "White Privilege Isnt Tainting the Criminal-Justice System. It Is the
Criminal-Justice System." The Root. N.p., 11 June 2016. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
Summary:
In this article, the headline alone is startling, attention grabbing, and quite frankly- the
uninhibited truth. It gives numerous examples of cases in which white privilege is once again,
the main contributing factor for a sentencing. Racial profiling is still rampant within todays
society, its just hidden behind a better wall. People give pretty names as to why this case is
different than that. Violent crime and Petty Theft are labels thrust towards one group, where
Teenage Angst and Drunken Mistakes. It most definitely doesnt take a rocket scientist or
social expert to guess which tag goes with which race. This article gives many instances in which
white men are far better served by the judicial system, than their minority counterparts.
This article can be used for my research paper as it gives numerous examples of cases
that show racial discrimination. In some cases, it also shows the separation between monetary
classes and how they are treated differently in court. It also gives a counter point as to where the
lower class white male is often treated similarly to the upper class white male.
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The Pros and Cons of Hiring a Public Defender. The Pros And Cons Of Hiring A Public
Defender - Client Resources - Lawbooth, 23 Nov. 2016, lawbooth.com/articles/clientresources/pros-and-cons-of-public-defender.
Summary:
The point of this article is to weigh the pros and the cons of a public defender. The
biggest con, which is impacts the defendant and the defender greatly, is that the public defender
is often overworked and given multiple cases at a time -- so they can't focus on an individual
who may need a lot of time put into their case. However, they can be a great positive! They
spend most of their time in the same courtrooms, getting to know the judges and the lawyers that
are coming in and out all the time. They know how to work a judge better than a lawyer who
often travels to various locations as a private defender. They also tend to know who the best
witnesses will be, as they see a lot of the same police officers coming in and out. According to
the graphs, the number of cases a public defender received is almost always about double the
recommended amount. In addition, they only spend about half the recommended time on each
individual case.
This is very beneficial to my research as it provides statistics as well as examples for how
beneficial it can be to hire a personal attorney over the public defender. It shows how it is
possible to have some advantages but they appear to be few and far between, considering the
main con is the lack of time available for cases.
Tess Weber
Rollmann, Hans. Canadas Legal System Is Sexist and Broken. TheIndependent.ca, 26 Mar.
2016, http://theindependent.ca/2016/03/26/canadas-legal-system-is-sexist-and-broken/.
Summary:
It has been determined that recently, women have been abandoning the legal fields in
staggering numbers, claiming theyve been discriminated against for their gender. They received
significantly lower pay than their male counterparts, no support or maternity leave, and separate
treatment from judges and people within the court system. This is especially significant in
Canada, where a man called out an advertisement for a defense attorney as sexist, and
encouragement towards sexual assault. He explained that referring to a woman as an object
desensitizes the gravity of what is happening, and unfairly broadcasts women as less than. The
law firm came back and said that they didnt understand what the man meant. He then received
various aggressive letters in response to his complaint.
This can be used in my research paper as it demonstrates the institutional sexism that
exists across the world, not just in the United States, and not just in less developed countries. It
demonstrates how women are viewed by the people running the legal system, and how they are
unfairly treated as both employees of the judicial system and as customers, defendants, and
victims that are taking part in court.
Tess Weber
Rubino, By Kathryn et al. Judge Makes Jaw-Dropping Comments on Women In The
Judiciary. Above the Law, 23 Sept. 2015, http://abovethelaw.com/2015/09/judge-makesjaw-dropping-comments-on-women-in-the-judiciary/?rf=1.
Summary:
A judge in the British justice system recently came forth with his opinions on women
entering the legal workforce in droves. Warning that the judiciary and the quality of British
justice was a terribly delicate organism, Lord Sumption added: We have got to be very
careful not to do things at a speed which will make male candidates feel that the cards are
stacked against them. If we do that we will find that male candidates dont apply in the right
numbers. 85 per cent of newly appointed judges in France are women because the men stay
away. 85 per cent women is just as bad as 85 per cent men. (excerpt from article). His
disparaging comments about women entering the workforce are a brutal and swift reminder that
as far as we have come in society today there is a long way to go before sexism is overcome.
This also displays the sexism within the court system that is biased against women.
Often, people complain that the court system can be biased against men, but in so many ways it
is biased heavily against women. Displayed here is the inherent belief that women are not as
good, or not as important, as the men. The judge claims that introducing women at to high of a
rate would cause the men to less-than or underappreciated, despite this being the way women
have been treated for thousands of years.
Tess Weber
Silverman, Jacob. How Bail Works. HowStuffWorks, 5 Feb. 2007,
money.howstuffworks.com/bail1.htm.
Summary:
Key Words:
-
Booked: police officer records information about a suspect such as name address,
birthday appearance, and their alleged crime.
Process:
Suspect is booked police officer conducts background check suspect is
fingerprinted and gets their mugshots all possessions are seized, to be returned upon release
intoxication check suspect gets one call suspect is placed in a cell with recently booked
suspects.
*IN LESS SERIOUS CRIMES A SUSPECT MAY BE ABLE TO POST BAIL IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING BOOKING
-
Under normal circumstances, suspects must wait 48 hours for a bail hearing where a
judge determines eligibility and cost for bail.

Amount of bail depends on severity of case, as well as judges opinion
When setting bail judges consider: criminal record, history of showing up for past court
appearances, ties to the community, whether the suspect is a threat to others, etc
In some cases, bail may be waved
Tess Weber
This article just gives me some more background reading how bail works and the ways it
can be exploited within the court system. My mentor said that he believed that posting bail was
one of the biggest issues in the court system, so I wanted to do some more in depth research on
this as it does relate to my topic in that people with more money are able to post bail much easier
than those with little to offer.
Tess Weber
Sports, CBC. Mike Danton Arrested in Murder Plot. CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 19 Apr.
2004, http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/mike-danton-arrested-in-murder-plot1.473852.
Summary:
This article addresses the shocking revelation of NHL star, Michael Dantons attempted
murder of a male acquaintance. In this article, they address his background and his depression as
causes for this episode of hysteria in which he plans out a murder. Danton claimed there was a
threat to his life as the reason for his drastic planning with nineteen year old Katie Wolfmeyer,
who planned to assist Danton in finding an assassin to carry out the murder. They planned to
have the crime scene staged to look like two people broke into Dantons apartment, leaving one
dead and another missing with three thousand dollars from Dantons safe. He planned to pay the
hit man ten thousand dollars for the murder. It is claimed that promiscuity and the use of
alcohol were key players in the final discussion, in which Danton begged to not have his career
ruined. An unidentified man ended up calling Danton in the presence of the police, urging him to
explain his reason for planning the murder. Danton ending up breaking down, and explaining that
he believed the man would leave him, and so he would rather have the man dead before he had
the chance to leave Danton.
This article could be useful to me as it addresses the case of a white man planning the
murder of a lover, which correlates to the O.J. Simpson case in which he was accused of the
murder of his ex-wife. The irony of the case is that the African American man walked free and
Tess Weber
the Caucasian male was the one acquitted and deemed guilty under the court of law, which seems
to be the opposite outcome of what would be expected in society. However, when you look into
the article, the writer of the article and those who speak about Danton state mental health issues
as the reason for his case and claim he is a good boy. The word boy appeals the readers as it
paints a picture of a young child who has no idea what they are doing- yet clearly Danton knew
what he was doing as he planned out the murder to a T, which shows the bias towards portraying
young, white, affluent, male athletes as very upstanding citizens, even in the same article as they
are accused of attempted murder.
Tess Weber
Starr, Terrell Jerrmaine. "5 Ways It's Become a Crime to Be Poor in America, Punishable by
Further Impoverishment." Alternet. N.p., 26 Apr. 2015. Web. 18 Jan. 2017.
Summary:
In many ways, today it appears that those who live in poverty become criminalized due to
their socio economic standing. They are then unable to post bail, or barely just, and driven into
even deeper poverty than before, leaving a vicious cycle in its wake. In many places, the number
of petty crimes has gone up exponentially. In New York City it is now illegal to be sitting on the
sidewalk or have your feet up on the subway -- which can lead to many fines and punishments.
Imagine a homeless person, having nowhere to go and no money to spare, left with fines because
they have no home. There also tends to be a hypercriminalization of petty crimes. In addition,
it is becoming a trend to punish the homeless for being homeless.
This article explores more than just the law side of this debate, but the social debate. It
provides interesting statistics and solid quotes that back up the point Im attempting to make in
the paper I plan on writing. I also believe a lot of the quotes appeal to peoples emotions, which
would be good to utilize later on.
Tess Weber
The State of Texas vs. Robert Durst. The Jinx, 1 Mar. 2015.
Summary:
In this episode (4), they discussed how Robert Durst got off as innocent in a murder trial
in which the prosecution was indubitably guaranteed a win. A body, Morris Black, had been
killed, dismembered, thrown into twenty separate garbage bags, and disposed of in the river.
Most chillingly, the head of the body was unable to be recovered. He was also acquitted with the
murder of a close friend, and the disappearance of his wife, Kathleen Durst. She had disappeared
in the dead of night, and her case has run cold once she had arrived at her penthouse in New
York. There is footage of the court room and the proceedings of the trial. Despite all of the
evidence against Durst, his lawyer was able to spin a tale. He was smart, and expensive, and he
humanized Durst, got the jury to laugh at his jokes and pity the old, frail man standing trial.
Durst got off.
This case exemplifies the influence that money can have on a court room. Money, which
Durst seemed to have an unlimited supply of, buys a team of lawyers who can spin any case into
their favor. This case shows that. Despite all the evidence leading to the proof that Durst
committed this murder, the defense attorneys were able to slowly, and methodically rip the
evidence to pieces. They talk about how they had to work on Dursts appearance because,
occasionally, his voice lost emotion. It became too detached for the defense to be able to sway a
jury. They were able to play up some things, work on his persona. And it won his case.
Tess Weber
Walshe, Sadhbh. America's Bail System: One Law for the Rich, Another for Poor | Sadhbh
Walshe. Sadhbh Walshe Column, Guardian News and Media, 14 Feb. 2013,
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/14/america-bail-system-law-rich-poor.
Summary:
This article discusses the issues surrounding bail and the process of misdemeanors. In
many cases, such as those in the state of New York, it can take anywhere from three months to
half of a year for a minor misdemeanor case to reach trial. This means that anyone who could not
post their bail sits in jail for that amount of time, when they could be walking free and
contributing to society. About eighty seven percent of people tried for non-felony charges are
unable to post a one thousand dollar bail.
Quote: Norman Reimer, executive director of the National Association for Criminal
Defense Lawyers, was less circumspect when he recently spoke about this issue:
"Bail is used as ransom to extract a guilty plea. Fact."
Analysis:
This article will be good for my research paper as it adds statistics to back up the
information Ill be using to write my final paper. It also has very good quotes to pull from and
use to create emphasis.
Tess Weber
Walshe, Sadhbh. American Justice. Alternet, The Guardian, 3 Apr. 2014,
http://www.alternet.org/american-justice-rich-child-rapist-goes-free-poor-woman-tryingfeed-her-kids-jailed.
Summary:
This article is useful as it provides statistics as to how many people are in incriminated
within the United States, and from that how many are a minority. It showcases the inequality
displayed within the judicial system as a rich, white man from a notable family is cleared of
charges and given a light tap on the wrist with a small warning to not get in trouble again after
raping his three year old daughter. In then goes on to contrast this case with that of a poor mother
who attempts to feed her children. She left her two kids in her car as she attended a job interview
for under an hour, and came out to be put under arrest for child abuse. While this falls within the
parameters of child abuse within the United States, it is far less intentionally abusive than rape of
ones child. So while the man got off scot-free, the woman was immediately sent to jail.
Application to Research
This is useful to my research since it demonstrates the inequality in the criminal justice
system in reference to the divide between social classes. While the two cases are radically
different, both are filed directly under child abuse, and one is far more extreme than the other.
While the mothers intentions were good, her actions were poor and badly chosen. In
comparison, the fathers intentions and actions were both despicable. However, it would be the
logical approach that the man go to prison for life and the woman get the light tap on the wrist
and dont do it again talk. In reality, the man went free and the women sent to jail, which
demonstrates the favoritism to affluent, white males within society.
Tess Weber
Weber, Tess, and Gary Weissner. Intern Mentor. 31 Oct. 2016.
Summary:
My mentor talked a lot about the bail system and its flaws. He did mention that he didnt
really believe that racial discrimination, or gender-based discrimination was an issue with the
court system. He did say people would likely give preference to judges who have more
experience and more understanding of the law. He also mentioned that in the local court system,
he believed monetary discrimination was more of an issue, as the public defenders office was
overtaxed and didnt have the time to dedicate a lot of their effort into any one specific case,
where a person with more money has the ability to afford a lawyer dedicated solely to their case.
This interview was very enlightening as it opened my eyes to the local court system
more, where the articles Ive been reading are on a much broader scale, some reaching even
worldwide. It allowed me to get more in depth with the monetary side of discrimination as he has
first-hand experience with what it entails, what it looks like, and how it is supported however
unintentionally by the judicial system within Maryland, and likely other countries across the
nation.
Tess Weber
Williams, Rachel. Justice System a 'Sexist Operation', Study Finds. The Guardian, Guardian
News and Media, 12 May 2009,
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/may/13/justice-law.
Summary:
This article researched and addresses the systematic failure of the judicial system to
provide for females being exploited. It goes in depth on how women are not offered careers,
rehabilitation, or opportunities after going through the justice system. It also mentions the failure
to provide for women who are victims of sexual assault, battery, domestic violence, and a
multitude of other violent crimes. It also talks about the effects that punishing women by
sentencing them to jail time, despite having only minor offenses (non-payment of fines), that
such actions can have on children within their home, who depend on their mother as a support
system and need her to live their lives fully and wholly.
This article can be used to show the systematic preference for males and supporting the
white, male, affluent institution that allows for people who fit such descriptors to come out on
top. It displays the exploitation of women, and the exploitation of how recent the womens rights
movement is within history. It also demonstrates the continued fight against feminism and equal
rights that lingers even within the justice system, which is supposedly a fair place where all
people have equal footing.

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American Progress, 7 Mar. 2012,

judge determines eligibility and cost for bail.

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