This Discussion Board aligns with the following learning objectives:

• The Right to a Fair (Not Perfect) Trial
• The Right to Assistance of Counsel

Review the investigation and trial of the Marvin Lamont Anderson case from the Innocence Project website. According to the Innocence Project: https://www.innocenceproject.org (Links to an external site.)

“DNA exonerations have exposed official misconduct at every level and stage of a criminal investigation.

Common forms of misconduct by law enforcement officials include:

• Employing suggestion when conducting identification procedures
• Coercing false confessions
• Lying or intentionally misleading jurors about their observations
• Failing to turn over exculpatory evidence to prosecutors
• Providing incentives to secure unreliable evidence from informants

Common forms of misconduct by prosecutors include:

• Withholding exculpatory evidence from the defense
• Deliberately mishandling, mistreating or destroying evidence
• Allowing witnesses they know or should know are not truthful to testify
• Pressuring defense witnesses not to testify
• Relying on fraudulent forensic experts
• Making misleading arguments that overstate the probative value of testimony

Discussion Response:

1. Discuss the investigative process in this case, as it pertains to the constitutional rights of the accused.
2. Question: Was the evidence used in the investigations and courtroom based on the best science and appropriate judicial standards? Explain!
3. Question: Was Anderson’s constitutional rights violated? Explain!

Instructions

REMEMBER that your initial response should have a minimum of 350-500 words. Expressing an opinion is not enough. You will be evaluated on the consistency and quality of your posts to the weekly discussion board. I will primarily be looking for how well you support your comments. I expect you to work to make meaning of the material of the course. I look for depth of engagement, as well as the level of critical thinking and inquiry. Success hinges on keeping up with readings, and referring to them as much as possible when you do respond.

Read the post and then respond accordingly by Thursdays @11:59 p.m. Once you have posted your initial answer, you must post a minimum of one follow-up post by Sunday @11:59 p.m. Your follow-up post may be either a further response to the initial post or a response to one of your classmates’ initial post.

As a reminder, you are not sending out a text message or tweet, so when writing your post, use proper English, grammar and writing mechanics.