1. Assess The Importance Of Fairness In Criminal Justice

Jurors watch a trial, and focus on which side is more truthful, to determine whether they should vote for a verdict. Jurors believe witness testimony is important. Therefore, witnesses could cause you to win or lose a case, because jurors evaluate witness testimony and whether the witness is honest. When jurors trust an expert witness or an eye witness, his side is likely to win the case. Cross-examining an expert witness or an eye witness who has proved himself honest is a risky endeavor, because the witness may increase his chance of winning. Therefore, a lawyer wants to aid and prepare the witness on his side, so the witness should be viewed as honest and the witnesses on the other team should be viewed as dishonest. Mark R. Kebbell found that jurors are more likely to believe witnesses when witnesses answer questions more quickly, because the witness seemingly knows the answers …show more content…
Complex questions take longer for the witness to answer, and therefore are great questions to ask during cross-examination (266). However, cross-examination is tricky, if the jurors trust the witness, the jurors are unlikely to change their minds, especially if the cross-examination is harsh. Was Christina Gutierrez’s cross-examination conducted in a smart fashion? The main eye witness, Jay Wilds, in the case against Adnan Syed, previously beheld credibility in the eyes of the jurors, and therefore the jurors are disturbed when Gutierrez overtly tries to discredit Wilds. She conducts her cross-examination in an aggressive tone and with complex questions. Serial emphasizes the harshness of Gutierrez’s cross examination with excerpts of Gutierrez questioning Wilds in a harsh tone. Gutierrez cross-examines Wilds aggressively for five days, which possibly helps Wilds stay out of jail. Without a very aggressive five-day cross-examination, Gutierrez may have been