Hello everyone! Yesterday we discussed several court cases during the 1920s. We first analyzed the Sacco and Vanzetti case. We analyzed the background of the case and assessed the evidence from the prosecution and the defense. We then developed our own opinions on whether we believe the two Italian anarchists were innocent or guilty depending on the evidence. Most of you believed that Nicola Sacco was guilty, and the Bartolomeo Vanzetti was innocent.
The second case that we analyzed was the Scopes Trial. With this court case, there was no question on whether John Scopes was guilty for violating the Butler Law. However, the court case became a battle ground between evolutionists v. religious fundamentalists over whether evolution or creationism was correct. We then discussed whether evolution and/or creationism should be taught within public schools. Most agreed that evolution should be taught in the schools as a theory.
Since today's class focused on court cases and we argued the idea of whether our justice system has abided by the idea of "innocent until proven guilty," I would like you to research an instance on the Internet relating to an organization that has worked to prove a criminal's innocence after the criminal has been convicted. Please access the Innocence Project at innocenceproject.org and browse the profiles of criminals that have been proven to be innocent years later. Pick one of the people in the list and answer the following questions in your notebook:
1.) What was the person's name, where was the crime, and what was his sentence?
2.) What was the crime that the person committed and why was he "falsely" accused?
3.) How was the person found out to be innocent?
4.) Compare and contrast this case to the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. How is this case similar to the one that we have learned in class?
Please email me with any questions that you have. Your next test is going to be on January 8. Have a great weekend!
~Mr. Mazur
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