Clarence Earl Gideon was a poor drifter accused in a Florida state court of felony theft. His case resulted in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Gideon v. Wainwright, holding that a criminal defendant who cannot afford to hire a lawyer must be provided with a lawyer at no cost.
At Gideon’s first trial, he represented himself, and he was convicted. After the Supreme Court ruled that the state had to provide defense counsel for the indigent, Florida retried Gideon. At his second trial, with a lawyer representing him and bringing out for the jury the weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, Gideon was acquitted.
Personal opinions:
The behavior of Clarence Earl Gideon was very influential to all America, because he can struggle with American Law without money, power, and education. He is a very brave man, and showed us that, law need to be improved and renew without stop, because people changed everyday, society changed everyday, so the law also need to change. And this case told us, if a poor man can’t find a lawyer for him, he will be treated unequally, unless the court find a lawyer for him, so this case remind us, keep our legal right every time, and study more business knowledge, and also caution to the law enforcement officials, treat everyone equally no matter his rich or poor.
没有评论:
发表评论