Topic Activities

1. Learn the following words:

to extend from	начинаться
custody	содержание под стражей
to testify	давать показания
source	источник
to force	заставлять
to provide a sample	предоставлять образец
discretion	право на
to subpoena witnesses	вызывать в суд свидетелей
bias and prejudices	предвзятость и предрассудки
to be based on	основываться на
plea of guilty	заявление подсудимого о признании вины
to reduce charges	смягчить обвинения
plea bargain	сделка о признании вины
to be content with	быть удовлетворённым; довольствоваться
to accept responsibility for	принять ответственность за
overwhelming	в избытке
to face charges	быть обвинённым
attorney general	генеральный прокурор
to revoke	изменить, отозвать решение

2. Guess the meaning of the following international words:

moment, absolute, showing, identification, gestures, to grant, race, sex, national, origin, criminal justice system, action, generally, federal, act, jurisdiction, intoxicated, to address.

3. Read the text and answer the following questions:

1. When does the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination start?

2. What may a court force a defendant to do?

3. What is a common power of the prosecutor and of the defendant according to the Sixth Amendment?

4. What is the defendant allowed to do to provide his/her right to an impartial jury?

5. What are many criminal cases resolved with?

6. Why are prosecutors often content with a plea bargain?

7. When may a defense attorney seek a plea bargain?

8. Can the same offense be prosecuted by both state and federal prosecutions? Are there any exceptions to this rule?

Trial

(part 2)

The Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination extends from the moment of custody. A defendant need not make statements or testify at trial, and that right is absolute. However, with a sufficient showing of need by the prosecution, self-incrimination may come from sources other than the defendant's statements or testimony. For example, a court may force a defendant to provide a blood sample, appear before witnesses for identification, give handwriting samples, give fingerprints, repeat certain words or gestures, and give a voice sample.

The Compulsory Process Clause of the Sixth Amendment gives a defendant the right to obtain favorable witnesses. This means that the defendant has the same power as the prosecutor to subpoena witnesses.

The Sixth Amendment grants the right to "an impartial jury of the State and district." This clause gives a defendant the right to question jurors for bias and prejudice. The right belongs to both the defense and the prosecution, both sides are allowed to question jurors and reject a certain number of jurors, until the jury pool is complete. The rejection of jurors may not be based on race, sex, or national origin.

The vast majority of criminal cases are resolved with a plea of guilty before, or sometimes during, trial. Prosecutors may use their discretion to reduce charges in exchange for a guilty plea, in an arrangement known as a plea bargain. A plea of guilty cannot be revoked after it has been accepted by a court. (Generally, it can be appealed only if the right to a trial was not knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waived).

Prosecutors are often content with a plea bargain because it satisfies the criminal justice system's goal of encouraging people to accept responsibility for their actions, and because plea bargains avoid costly, time-consuming trials. A prosecutor may also agree to defer prosecution and drop charges after a specified period if the defendant fulfills certain conditions. A defense attorney may seek a plea bargain if the evidence against the defendant is overwhelming. Both sides are free to reject any plea bargains and proceed to trial.

Generally, a defendant may not face both federal and state prosecutions for the same offense. One exception to this general rule is that a defendant in state court may face charges in federal court for the same act with the permission of the attorney general, but only if the offense is within the jurisdiction of the federal court. For example, a conviction for driving while intoxicated raises no federal concerns; federal laws do not address that offense. Thus, the attorney general cannot authorize the federal prosecution of a defendant acquitted in state court of driving while intoxicated.

4. Supply the missing words in the gaps using the list:

1. The privilege against self-incrimination extends from the moment of __.

2. A court may ___ a defendant to provide a blood or a handwriting __.

3. A defendant has the right to obtain ___ witnesses.

4. The Sixth Amendment provides the right to an ___ jury of the state and district.

5. The defense and the prosecution are allowed to question jurors for ___ and ___.

6. Many cases are resolved with ___ before or sometimes during trial.

(force, a plea of guilty, impartial, custody, bias, prejudices, favorable, sample).

5. Match the following English and Russian equivalents:

1) to make statements	a) в состоянии опьянения
2) handwriting samples	b) предрассудок
3) to subpoena witnesses	c) беспристрастный суд присяжных
4) impartial jury	d) сделка о признании вины
5) a prejudice	e) обвинения
6) to be content with	f) быть удовлетворенным
7) a plea bargain	g) образцы почерка
8) to satisfy	h) делать заявления
9) a responsibility for action	i) исключения из правила
10) charges	j) ответственность за действия
11) an exception to a rule	k) вызвать в суд свидетелей
12) while intoxicated	l) удовлетворять
13) a defense attorney	m) генеральный прокурор
14) an attorney general	n) адвокат

6. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the modal verbs:

1. A defendant need not make statements or testify at trial.

2. A court may force a defendant to provide samples of blood and handwriting.

3. The defense may question jurors for bias and prejudices.

4. A plea of guilty cannot be revoked after it has been accepted by a court.

5. A defense attorney may seek a plea bargain, if the evidence against the defendant is overwhelming.

6. Generally, a defendant may not face both federal and state prosecutions for the same crime.

7. Correct the false sentences:

1. The Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination starts with the moment of trial.

2. Self-incrimination may come only from the defendant’s statements.

3. The right to question the jurors for bias and prejudices belongs only to the defense.

4. The rejection of jurors may be based on race or national origin.

5. A plea of guilty can be revoked after it has been accepted by a court.

6. A defendant may very often face both federal and state prosecutions for the same offense.

8. Translate the sentences from Russian into English with the help of the studied text:

1. Подзащитный может не давать показаний против себя на суде.

2. Подзащитного можно заставить дать образцы крови, почерка, отпечатки пальцев.

3. И защита, и обвинение имеют право задать членам суда во­просы для выяснения наличия у них предвзятости и пред­рассудков.

4. Многие дела решаются до или во время судебного процесса в случае признания вины подсудимым.

5. Если доказательств вины подсудимого в избытке, адвокат мо­жет прибегнуть к сделке о признании вины, что смягчит обви­нения.

6. Генеральный прокурор не может разрешить федеральное уго­ловное преследование лица, оправданного за это же преступле­ние в суде штата.

SPEAKING

Discussion:

13 Do you find the procedure of a trial in the American court logical, fair and well-organized?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14