“12 Angry Men” Group Editorial Assignment

IMPORTANT! This article will count as your FINAL EXAM grade! You will have a choice between 2 prompts, as already discussed before break. If you choose to do BOTH essays, you will receive 10 points of extra credit for the second article. You may choose to work with a partner on the editorial, but remember, this is your final exam grade AND if you want extra credit, you must turn in your own extra credit article.

Prompt #1 You are a court reporter for the Los Angeles Times and have been granted special access to the jury deliberations of the “12 Angry Men.” Write an editorial that: Takes a position Uses facts to support that position Includes a counterargument and refutes it Makes a call to action Uses at least 3 vocabulary words Topics you might consider: peer pressure, prejudice, discrimination, ethics, the right to a fair trial, and/or justice.

Prompt # 2 You are entertainment writers for the Los Angeles Times who are responsible for writing editorials on theater and film. You are given the task of writing a review of the film “12 Angry Men” and comparing it to the original play. You article must that: Takes a position Uses facts to support that position Includes a counterargument and refutes it Makes a call to action (Is it worth seeing?) Uses at least 3 vocabulary words

What is the first step in planning the editorial?

RESEARCH!

Building Your Understanding Take out a piece of paper and answer the following: What does the following passage mean to you? How would you use the passage in planning and writing your editorial?

The 6 th Amendment of the US Constitution In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed; which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

What it means… The Sixth Amendment further specifies the protections offered to people accused of committing crimes. It allows the accused to have their cases heard by an impartial jury made up of people from the surrounding community who have no connection to the case. In some instances when there has been a significant amount of news coverage of the crime, jury members may be picked from outside the place where the crime took place. Without the Sixth Amendment’s right to a speedy trial, criminal defendants could be held indefinitely, under a cloud of unproven accusations. A speedy trial is also critical to a fair trial, because if a trial takes too long to occur witnesses may die or leave the area, their memories may fade, and physical evidence may be lost. The public trial guarantee protects defendants from secret proceedings that might encourage abuse of the judicial system. Criminal defendants can voluntarily give up their right to a public proceeding—such a renunciation is called a waiver— and judges may limit public access to trials in certain circumstances, such as to protect witnesses’ privacy or to keep order in the court.

A speedy, public trial heard by an impartial jury would be meaningless if a defendant did not know what crime he or she was being charged with and why. Criminal defendants further have the right to face their accusers, which requires that prosecutors put their witnesses on the stand to testify under oath. The defendant’s counsel may then cross- examine the witnesses, which may reveal their testimony as unreliable. The Sixth Amendment guarantees a criminal defendant the right to have an attorney. That right does not depend on the defendant’s ability to pay an attorney. If a defendant cannot afford one, the government must provide one. The right to an effective defense does not guarantee a successful defense. A defendant can receive effective legal assistance and still be convicted.

Legal Vocabulary

1. Allegation : A claim that someone has done something wrong (often without proof) 2. Capital Offense : A crime, such as murder or betrayal of one's country, that is treated so seriously that death may be considered an appropriate punishment. 3. Circumstantial Evidence : is evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact—like a fingerprint at the scene of a crime.

Legal Vocabulary cont’ 4. Indictment : a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. 5. Prosecute : to bring legal action against another party for compensation or punishment of a crime or violation of law. 6. Testimony : evidence that a witness gives to a court of law. It may take the form of a written or oral statement detailing what the witness has seen or knows about a case.

Legal Vocabulary cont’ 7. Verdict : The decision of a jury. 8. Voir Dire : Used to determine if any juror is biased and/or cannot deal with the issues fairly, or if there is cause not to allow a juror to serve (knowledge of the facts; acquaintanceship with parties, witnesses or attorneys; occupation which might lead to bias; prejudice against the death penalty; or previous experiences such as having been sued in a similar case). One of the unspoken purposes of the voir dire is for the attorneys to get a feel for the personalities and views of the people on the jury panel.

Legal Vocabulary cont’ 9. Impartial : Objective; not biased. 10. Litigant : A person involved in a lawsuit.

For the rest of the block: You can work in pairs to write your editorials. Decide on your prompt and begin outlining your article. If you choose Prompt #2, you might want to consider researching the history of the play and the film: How was the movie received? What was the general response to the play/movie when they were released? Who directed it? Did the director want to stay true to the play? What was the motivation to make the film?

DUE NEXT CLASS! Typed or written NEATLY: Your headline Your position Facts to support your position A counterargument How will you refute it? What is your conclusion or call to action? Do NOT write an article. Simply do research and have the above guidelines answered and ready to discuss for our next class meeting.