15+ slide PowerPoint presentation with good visuals One fund…

You are expected to create a PowerPoint presentation covering a felony criminal case that resulted in a conviction. You can select any felony case from any state or the federal government. You are not allowedto use the same case that you used in any of your DQ assignments. Please select a new case to cover. The requirements for the assignment are:

• Fifteen (15) slide minimum
• Title of case
• Court of original jurisdiction
• Provide information about the:
• Trial judge
• Prosecutor
• Defense Attorney
• Defendant
• Victim(s)
• Witnesses
• What were the original charges filed against the defendant?
• Did the case go to trial or was the conviction obtained by a plea bargain?
• Explain the plea bargain process for this case if applicable.
• Explain the trial process for this case if applicable (jury selection, any other interesting aspects of the trial?)
• What was the defendant officially convicted of?
• What was the sentence imposed? Explain your thoughts about the sentence. Was it a fair sentence?
• Was there an appeal filed?
• What were the reasons for the appeal?
• What was the outcome of the appeal?
• No special effects.
• Must include audio in your presentation on each slide:
• Must use the insert tab and include audio in your presentation. Audio should be recordings of you discussing each slide. You will need to save the audio on each slide.
• Make sure to include a reference slide.

Include on the side the information for each slide in simple words.

You cannot just read your slides.

You must explain the concepts on the slides in your own words to show your true in-depth understanding of the subject matter you are discussing.

State of Florida v. Casey Anthony

1. Title of Case

State of Florida v. Casey Marie Anthony

This was a felony criminal case prosecuted by the State of Florida in 2011.

2. Court of Original Jurisdiction

Orange County Circuit Court

• State trial court of general jurisdiction
• Handles felony criminal cases
• Located in Orlando, Florida

In the 13th edition of Americas Courts and the Criminal Justice System, David W. Neubauer and Henry F. Fradella explain that felony trials begin in state trial courts like this one, where juries determine guilt.

3. Trial Judge

Belvin Perry Jr.

• Presided over the trial
• Ruled on objections
• Determined admissibility of evidence
• Instructed the jury on the law
• Imposed the sentence

4. Prosecutor

Linda Drane Burdick

• Represented the State of Florida
• Had the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
• Presented forensic and circumstantial evidence

5. Defense Attorney

Jose Baez

• Lead defense counsel
• Argued that the death was accidental
• Claimed there was insufficient evidence to prove murder
• Focused on creating reasonable doubt

6. Defendant

Casey Anthony

• Mother of the victim
• Arrested in 2008
• Pleaded not guilty
• Exercised her constitutional right to trial

7. Victim

Caylee Anthony

• 2-year-old daughter of Casey Anthony
• Reported missing in July 2008
• Remains discovered months later

8. Witnesses

The trial included:

• Forensic experts
• Law enforcement officers
• Family members
• Computer forensic analysts

The prosecution relied heavily on forensic and circumstantial evidence, including internet searches and decomposition evidence.

9. Original Charges Filed Against the Defendant

Casey Anthony was charged with:

• First-degree murder
• Aggravated child abuse
• Aggravated manslaughter of a child
• Four counts of providing false information to law enforcement (felony charges)

10. Did the Case Go to Trial or Plea Bargain?

The case went to a full jury trial.

There was no plea bargain.

Trial Process Included:

• Jury selection (voir dire)
• Opening statements
• Presentation of prosecution evidence
• Defense presentation
• Closing arguments
• Jury deliberation

Because of heavy media coverage, jurors were selected carefully to avoid bias.

11. What Was the Defendant Officially Convicted Of?

In July 2011:

• NOT guilty of first-degree murder
• NOT guilty of aggravated child abuse
• NOT guilty of aggravated manslaughter
• GUILTY of four counts of providing false information to law enforcement

These were felony convictions.

12. What Sentence Was Imposed?

Judge Belvin Perry sentenced her to:

• 4 years in jail
• $1,000 fine per false information count
• Credit for time already served

Because she had already been in jail awaiting trial, she was released shortly after sentencing.

Was the Sentence Fair? (Analysis Section for Slide)

Legally, the sentence matched the convictions.

However, many members of the public believed the sentence was not severe enough because she was acquitted of murder.

From a legal standpoint, the judge must sentence based only on the crimes of conviction not public opinion.

13. Was There an Appeal Filed?

Yes.

Appeal filed in the:

Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal

14. Reasons for the Appeal

The defense challenged:

• The validity of some false statement counts
• Argued certain charges were duplicative

15. Outcome of the Appeal

The appellate court:

• Vacated two of the false statement convictions
• Upheld the remaining two convictions

The case did not result in a retrial.

The appellate court did not overturn the entire conviction.

16. Reference Slide

Neubauer, D. W., & Fradella, H. F.

Americas Courts and the Criminal Justice System (13th ed.).

Florida Court Records

Trial transcripts from Orange County Circuit Court