Reflection #6

penvenh — 2024-06-21 19:29:09 UTC

After the resolution of Walter’s case, he was put on death row for 6 six years in prison and I believe that justice was not completely served. To begin with, Ralphy Myer’s false testimony was fake from Ralph being pressured and also being pressured by the police in Morone County to make a false accusation on McMillian for the murder of a young white woman named Ronda Morrison. His testimony didn’t add up to the story and sounded forced when he explained it to the officers and Mr. Stevenson. Still, during the period in the South, the criminal justice system would take his word rather than McMillan’s due to racial bias. McMillan didn’t have a criminal record like Ralph Myers. Also, the State pulled the crowd tactics on Day 2 of the hearing to limit the family members of McMillan and his supporters. They installed metal detectors, had a police German shepherd, and half of the courtroom was filled with state supporters and supporters for the prosecution. This was an unjust move because it tried to limit and give the prosecution an upper hand for having McMillan guilty of the crime. When the last trial for Mcmillan was conducted happened so quickly with the court dropping all charges against him, no second thought from the prosecution, and the judge putting a motion on anything else that was left behind and just ended with a snap of a finger. This was due to how well Mr. Stevsons was gaining crucial evidence, supporters, and people who worked with him for the defense of McMillan which left the judge, prosecution, and state supporters to be left in disbelief and silenced the whole time. I see this quick trial as an issue of justice because there weren’t any apologies or some form of payback for Walter Mcmillan being locked up for 6 years by the State after he endured so much pain and suffering from being in prison for so long. Later on in the story, Walter develops dementia and he pictures himself being sent back to prison and panicking about it when he was in the hospital from his past trauma from being incarcerated. The knowledge that I've learned from the book did impact my perspective how of people involved in the criminal justice system. People involved with prosecution can utilize tactics that seem unethical and even go against the law to prove the defendant is guilty no matter what whether he or she is guilty of the crime. Also, children being involved in the criminal justice system is inhumane and unjust because children without parole are sent to adult prisons to die and most of the time aren’t given second chances from being convicted of crimes. The system understands how children aged 13, 14, or even 16 aren't fully mature people and they don’t understand the fullness of their consequences but could be easily influenced to do the wrong things in our society.

GSS 3231 Reflection 6 by Hunter Penven

Reflection #6