Walter's Case
Name of Alabama judge who is angry with Stevenson for representing Walter
Robert E. Lee Key
How does America's current rate of incarceration compare to other nations?
Our rate of incarceration is higher than any other nation in the world
Who is Charlie? What is some key information about his case? What is the significance of this case?
-14 years old, less than 100 lbs, not quite 5 foot
- mom's abusive police officer boyfriend, George, came home drunk
- beat his mom until she was unresponsive
- though that he killed her
- found George's gun and shot him
tried as an adult
- placed in adult prison
- repeatedly raped/sexually assaulted
- Stevenson was able to move him to protective custody and eventually a nearby juvenile facility
- case transferred to juvenile court
- Mr and Mrs Jennings --> built a lifelong connection with him and supported him and his mother
What is the definition of rhetoric?
the art of persuasive speaking or writing (persuasion)
Give 2 examples of evidence that the prosecution / police have on Walter.
Ralph Myers's testimony
Depict Walter as a dangerous man (use affair w/ Karen Kelly against him)
Bill Hooks - corroborates Myers's testimony
What state has the largest population in the world of child offenders condemned to die in prison for non-homicides?
Pennsylvania
Who is Trina Garnett? What is the significance of her case?
- Pennsylvania
- 14 years old
- homeless
- disfigured from being burned
- mental disabilities (incapable of intent to kill)
- set a fire that killed 2 people
- second-degree murder
- tried as an adult
- sent to die in an adult prison
- judge felt bad
- raped by male prison guard, became pregnant, baby taken away
- EJI won a landmark ruling from the United States Supreme Court barring mandatory life-without-parole sentences for children
What is the definition of digital literacy?
an individual's ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information using typing or digital media platforms
Give 2 examples of Walter's innocence.
Fish fry (flyer & alibi from other family and church members that were there)
Truck
Lack of physical evidence - no DNA found at crime scene
Today, over what % of prison and jail inmates in the US have a diagnosed mental illness?
50%
Who is Ian Manuel? What is the significance of his case?
-shot Debbie Baigre in the cheek during a robbery, she didn't die
- spent 18 years in uninterrupted solitary confinement - begins self-harm
- mental health deterioration
- extremely intelligent
- writes poetry
- Debbie wanted Ian Manuel's sentence to be shortened
What is the definition of tone?
The attitude of the speaker / writer
(Ex. Sympathetic tone, outraged tone, intense tone, positive tone)
Who is Darnell Houston?
Young, Black man who worked with Bill Hooks. Darnell tells Stevenson that on the day of the Morrison murder, Hooks was at work with him. Darnell was arrested for perjury based on his story.
America's prisons have become warehouses for the:
Mentally ill / African Americans / Minorities
Who is Antonio Nunez? What is the significance of his case?
- Grew up in southern CA - gang violence around him
- moved to Las Vegas to get away from it
- at fourteen, he became the youngest person in the United States condemned to die in a prison for a crime in which no one was physically injured (kidnapping)
- shot at a police car
What is bias?
prejudice in favor of or against one thing (n); ingrained beliefs that can alter someone's judgment / knowledge
Why did Stevenson choose Walter's case as the main thread throughout the entire memoir? How does the case exhibit the major themes of the text?
Systemic Racism - Walter's case is clearly racist in how they accuse a Black innocent man for Ronda's murder
Building Understanding through closeness / proximity
(Humanization of Black Americans)
Walter and Bryan become very close. We see Bryan meet Walter's family, etc.
Effects of Trauma
Walter's case shows the mental effects on his family, the community, and Walter, himself who is put on death row for a crime he is innocent of
What are "super predators?
African American, urban youth viewed as criminals who are willing to commit crimes without remorse or guilt
Moral panic about juvenile crime
In Raised in the System, what does the documentary highlight?
the cycle of violence and trauma that often perpetuates with the system, as well as the lack of opportunities for successful reintegration to society
What kind of bias does this headline have?
What "side" does it lean towards (Left, Center, Right)
“Courageous Citizens Demand Action on Climate Crisis.”
Left news headline