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Prosecuting Arguments

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Prosecuting Argument Paper

Team C:

CJA/354

August 26, 2013

Prosecuting Argument Paper

Enough evidence was obtained to make the arrest of Mr. Dents. The state has now charged Stu Dents with the following: Homicide, assault of a police officer, kidnapping, burglary, and crimes related to drugs. Homicide is “The killing of one human being by the act, procurement, or omission of another human being” (Schmalleger, 2010). Murder is a type of homicide. Below is the Georgia state law on murder. Murder; felony murder: A person commits the offense of murder when he unlawfully and with malice aforethought, either express or implied, causes the death of another human being. Express malice is that deliberate intention unlawfully to take the life of another human being which is manifested by external circumstances capable of proof. Malice shall be implied where no considerable provocation appears and where all the circumstances of the killing show an abandoned and malignant heart. A person convicted of the offense of murder shall be punished by death, by imprisonment for life without parole, or by imprisonment for life ("Georgia Code", 2013). On October 18th, two eyewitnesses said the defendant Stu Dents entered into apartment number 156, which was the victim’s apartment. Uma Opee’s body was found October 19th; it was located behind an abandoned building, which is approximately 5 miles from her residence. The victim’s mouth was stuffed with a cloth, her arms and legs were tied with rope restraints, having been stabbed to death. In Uma Opee’s apartment there were spots of blood found on the carpeting in the living room as well as rope particles that matched the rope used to tie her hands and feet. A blue tablet known as ecstasy that had a “thumbs-up” imprint was located under a table that was in the living room. There was powder cocaine residue also located on the living room table. When a search was conducted on Dent’s apartment, detectives found a small bag containing blue ecstasy tablets that had the same “thumbs-up” imprint that was in Opee’s apartment. In a locked room that was located in the back of the defendant’s home it was discovered to contain hundreds of photos of the victim. There were also love letters to the victim and a journal that began 6 months before the crime. Within this journal it was discovered that there were entries that discussed purchasing rope, rags as well as a sharp hunting knife. The journal also contained entries of detailed of events of the victim. The events started from the Defendant’s first meeting with the victim up until the night before the murder. The coroner determined that Opee was stabbed 13 times and bled to death at approximately 11:45 p.m. There were cuts and bruises on her body as well as skin particles under her fingernails, which pointed to a struggle before her death. When a DNA test was done it was determined that the DNA under the victim’s nails matched the DNA of Dent’s. When the police attempted to take Dents into custody, he assaulted the officer and screamed, “Alien!” Once he was subdued, Dents repeatedly yelled, “I am God, let me go! I am God”. There are three different ways an individual can commit assault in the state of Texas. The first way is intentionally which is when an individual knowingly, causes bodily injury to another person. The second way is if an individual causes threats to another person with imminent bodily injury. The third way is knowing or intentionally causing physical contact with another individual when he should know that the other person will regard the contact as being provocative or offensive ("Texas Teen Page", 2013). Aggravated Assault in the state of Texas is when an individual commits assault and that person causes serious bodily injury to the other person. When aggravated assault is committed, the individual also uses or presents a deadly weapon while in the act of the assault. Having a prior criminal history and the evidence and facts reported by the police, for example choking, bodily injury, or any other circumstances, an assault case can be filed as a Class C misdemeanor on up to a 1st degree felony. This punishment can range from on the low end, which is fine-only convictions or delayed disposition and that usually results in an expunction. Higher level misdemeanors usually involve the individual being put on probation or serving time in the county jail. Felony cases can also involve probation or prison time and the most severe felony cases can carry a maximum punishment range of life in prison. Any type of offensive physical contact can qualify as Class C Misdemeanor Assault under the law in Texas ("Texas Teen Page", 2013). Dents has been charged with kidnapping because Uma Opee was last seen when she left work at 5:10 p.m. and her body was found behind an abandoned building approximately 5 miles from her residence. In the state of Virginia, abduction and kidnapping is defined as any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another person with the intent to deprive such other person of his personal liberty or to withhold or conceal him from any person, authority or institution lawfully entitled to his charge, shall be deemed guilty of abduction ("Code Of Virginia", 2013). The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law-enforcement officer in the performance of his duty. The terms "abduction" and "kidnapping" shall be synonymous in this Code. Abduction for which no punishment is otherwise prescribed shall be punished as a Class 5 felony. If an offense under subsection A is committed by the parent of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending, the offense shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor in addition to being punishable as contempt of court. However, such offense, if committed by the parent of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending and the person abducted is removed from the Commonwealth by the abducting parent, shall be a Class 6 felony in addition to being punishable as contempt of court ("Code of Virginia", 2013). Stu Dents has been charged with burglary because he was seen entering the woman’s apartment, where later the police had found the woman’s ring in Stu’s apartment (which co-workers stated they seen her wearing the ring the day before at work and also had her name in-graved into the ring). A Wisconsin Burglary charge is a felony offense, with significant penalties if you are found guilty. The elements of a burglary charge are: Whoever intentionally enters a building or dwelling, enclosed railroad car, enclosed portion of a ship or vessel, locked and enclosed cargo portion of a truck or trailer, a motor home, or a room within any of the above, without consent of the owner, and with intent to steal or commit a felony. The maximum penalty for a Wisconsin burglary charge is 12 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Stolen items may be introduced in evidence in a burglary prosecution as the items tend to prove that entry was made with intent to steal ("Wisconsin Burglary Charge", 2013). Although there were no drugs found in the victim’s system or in Mr. Dent’s, upon a search of the defendant’s home, detectives found ecstasy, cocaine, and methamphetamine. In the state of Mississippi, crimes related to drugs are punishable by the fact that it is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess any controlled substance unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this article ("Mississippi Code ", 2013). The penalties for any violation of this subsection with respect to a controlled substance including marijuana shall be based on dosage unit as defined herein or the weight of the controlled substance as set forth herein as appropriate. Also, to sell, barter, transfer, manufacture, distribute, dispense or possess with intent to sell, barter, transfer, manufacture, distribute or dispense, a controlled substance; or to create, sell, barter, transfer, distribute, dispense or possess with intent to create, sell, barter, transfer, distribute or dispense, a counterfeit substance is illegal and punishable by law ("Mississippi Code ", 2013). With Stu Dents being charged with the following: homicide, assault of a police officer, kidnapping, burglary, and crimes related to drugs, based on the facts that there were cuts and bruises on the victim’s body as well as skin particles under her fingernails, pointed to a struggle before her death. When a DNA test was done it was determined that the DNA under the victim’s nails matched the DNA of Dent’s. It is believed that the state where the case will be the strongest is Georgia where Dents can be charged with homicide.

References

Code of Virginia. (2013). Retrieved from http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-47
Georgia Code. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/gacode/default.asp

Mississippi Code. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.mscode.com/free/statutes/41/029/0139.htm

Schmalleger, F., Hall, D. E., & Dolatowski, J.J. (2010). Criminal law today: An introduction with capstone cases. (4th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Texas Teen Page. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.oag.state.tx.us/teens/crime/assault.shtml

Wisconsin Burglary Charge. (2013). Retrieved from http://wisconsindefenselawyer.com/burglary/

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