Powell v. Alabama 287 U.S. 45 (1932) was a landmark case that would forever change the landscape of due process in the United States. This case brought into question what the courts were responsible for when it came to preserving the people rights, and more importantly how those rights should be carried out.
The facts leading up to the case began in March when several white men in Alabama reported being thrown from a train by several African men, this prompted law enforcement to phone ahead to Scottsboro where the train was headed for and where the men were found with two white women by law enforcement(Samaha page 33). The women claimed rape and the men were arrested and not long after had national guardsmen trying to keep a mob outside from …show more content…
A few of the amendments that came up in question during this case were the fifth, sixth, and fourteenth amendment. The fifth and fourteenth amendments came in direct conflict with how the case was carried out, meaning the due process allotted to them was taken. The defendants came under the services of Stephen Roddy the only lawyer who took the case and who was a drunk and openly admitted to knowing nothing about Alabama state law (Samaha page 33). Their due process was sacrificed by not having access to a proper defense, not having time to build a case because each case took only a day to decide (Powell v. Alabama). Following that was the sixth amendment which was violated because the defendants didn’t get a fair trial as the group had already made up its mind when they surrounded the jail and were only kept at bay due to military force (Samaha page 33).They weren’t given a trail with a jury of their peer being other African Americans. Other issues that were brought up were the lack of education possessed by the defendants, their age, and access to family or friends who were in other states (Samaha page …show more content…
Alabama and had read briefly about it but after actually reading it more in depth I can easily see why it’s considered one of the most important cases in American history. The doctrine of incorporation would be the fourteen amendments which hold that the Fifth Amendment the right to due process is not only applicable in federal cases but also in those of state case (Samaha). That the courts in Alabama had to give the defendants proper council and time to make their case if they wanted to carry out justice by the standards set by the Constitution. I agree with the majority opinion of the Supreme Court that the lower courts failed to provide the nine defendants with proper rights such as letting a lawyer who was an alcoholic and openly admitted to knowing nothing about Alabama laws (Samaha page 33). It’s surprising that a court would allow someone really no more qualified than any laymen in Alabama to walk into court and argue something they knew nothing about especially when nine individuals lives were on the line. I also agree that they trials were carried out too hastily and poorly conducted on the courts part. The men were all tired and found guilty by an extremely bias group that already tried to execute them without any real evidence other than the word of two women. On top of a sham of a trial being put on the defendants weren’t given a jury of their peers, time to accumulate evidence or access to council all violations of the
The facts leading up to the case began in March when several white men in Alabama reported being thrown from a train by several African men, this prompted law enforcement to phone ahead to Scottsboro where the train was headed for and where the men were found with two white women by law enforcement(Samaha page 33). The women claimed rape and the men were arrested and not long after had national guardsmen trying to keep a mob outside from …show more content…
A few of the amendments that came up in question during this case were the fifth, sixth, and fourteenth amendment. The fifth and fourteenth amendments came in direct conflict with how the case was carried out, meaning the due process allotted to them was taken. The defendants came under the services of Stephen Roddy the only lawyer who took the case and who was a drunk and openly admitted to knowing nothing about Alabama state law (Samaha page 33). Their due process was sacrificed by not having access to a proper defense, not having time to build a case because each case took only a day to decide (Powell v. Alabama). Following that was the sixth amendment which was violated because the defendants didn’t get a fair trial as the group had already made up its mind when they surrounded the jail and were only kept at bay due to military force (Samaha page 33).They weren’t given a trail with a jury of their peer being other African Americans. Other issues that were brought up were the lack of education possessed by the defendants, their age, and access to family or friends who were in other states (Samaha page …show more content…
Alabama and had read briefly about it but after actually reading it more in depth I can easily see why it’s considered one of the most important cases in American history. The doctrine of incorporation would be the fourteen amendments which hold that the Fifth Amendment the right to due process is not only applicable in federal cases but also in those of state case (Samaha). That the courts in Alabama had to give the defendants proper council and time to make their case if they wanted to carry out justice by the standards set by the Constitution. I agree with the majority opinion of the Supreme Court that the lower courts failed to provide the nine defendants with proper rights such as letting a lawyer who was an alcoholic and openly admitted to knowing nothing about Alabama laws (Samaha page 33). It’s surprising that a court would allow someone really no more qualified than any laymen in Alabama to walk into court and argue something they knew nothing about especially when nine individuals lives were on the line. I also agree that they trials were carried out too hastily and poorly conducted on the courts part. The men were all tired and found guilty by an extremely bias group that already tried to execute them without any real evidence other than the word of two women. On top of a sham of a trial being put on the defendants weren’t given a jury of their peers, time to accumulate evidence or access to council all violations of the