Watch the documentary 'West of Memphis' (2012 directed by Amy J. Berg). Link to watch it at the bottom and available through our library databases. Make sure to read the questions first before watching the film and take detailed notes to facilitate writing your assignment. Write 3-4 pages (no less than 3 and no more than 4 pages) of content (not including cover and references) analyzing and connecting the documentary and class material according to the following (essays will be penalized if submit less than 3 or more than 4 pages, firm): Guidelines 1. a) Provide a short summary of the entire documentary (1-2 short paragraphs, no more and do not use Wikipedia or another source); then b) describe what was all the evidence used by prosecutors to charge and convict the defendants described in the film. Are there any false confessions? Be explicit and c) use material from the class to provide an analysis of the evidence (one page or less to answer this question). 2. Using Reading 2 (Wrongful Convictionspp.40-62) of our textbook as reference a) explain in detail why the wrongful conviction of the West of Memphis Three defendants took place in this crime. In other words, what kind of errors and misconduct occurred that led to that outcome. Next, explain b) which stakeholders of the courtroom (judges, prosecutors, defense

2 attorneys) failed to do their diligent work for this miscarriage of justice to occur and why that happened. Provide a persuasive critical assessment in your response and support your arguments with facts from the film and theories, arguments, and evidence from reading 2 in your analysis (half page approximately). 3. Based on reading 10 (Confession Evidence: Commonsense Myths and Misconceptionspp. 243-254) of our textbook, a) explain what type of myth(s) regarding confession evidence took place in the case of 'West of Memphis' defendants. In other words, if any of the defendants confessed to the crime, explain why he did it based on the content of reading 10. Make sure to b) provide a persuasive critical assessment in your response and support your arguments with facts from ideas, arguments, and evidence from reading 10 in your analysis to earn credit for this question. 4. a) Explain whether or not due process was applied in the criminal trial of the West of Memphis defendants. If so b) how or why not? Then, c) describe what kind of co-responsibility the members of the criminal justice system (judges, prosecutors, and/or defense attorneys) had in the miscarriage of justice against the West Memphis three. Next, d) include one example from the documentary where this co-responsibility occurred. 5. Finally, a) provide an overall assessment of this criminal case: is this type of miscarriage of justice an exception or more like a common situation in the American criminal justice system? Support your analysis with facts and evidence from class material to earn credit for this question; your opinion itself is not enough without adding academic or scientific arguments from our course. Then, b) explain in detail what did you learned from the documentary and the West of Memphis case that you did not know before? Essay Format