1. Death Penalty:
In this question you will be asked for your opinions about the death penalty and "three strikes and you're out" laws. These are sometimes controversial topics and should provide the basis for a good discussion.
Explain whether you are for or against the death penalty. In your explanation, focus on the following questions:
At what point is the death penalty a reasonable punishment?
What are your feelings about the "three strikes and you're out" philosophy?
At what point is "three strikes and you're out" a reasonable punishment?
What crimes would fit the "three strikes and you're out" philosophy?
Share your views from the perspectives of the Constitution as well as human rights.
Justify your ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from Westlaw (including primary sources such as cases, statutes, rules, regulations, etc.), government Web sites, peer-reviewed legal periodicals (not lawyer blogs), which can be supplemented by law dictionaries or the textbook. This means you need to use more than just your text and legal dictionaries.
2. Ex Post Facto Laws :
This question addresses one of the constitutional limitations placed upon criminal law: the prohibition against ex post facto laws.
Bob Smith wrote a bad check to ABD Company. At the time that Bob wrote the check, there were no laws against writing a bad check. Ten days later a statute was passed that made writing bad checks a misdemeanor or a felony offense, depending on the amount of the check.
Based on the above information, answer the following:
Can Bob be prosecuted for writing the bad check to ABD Company? Why?
Would your answer change if Bob wrote another bad check after the statute was passed? Why?
Justify your ideas and responses by using appropriate examples and references from Westlaw (including primary sources such as cases, statutes, rules, regulations, etc.), government Web sites, peer-reviewed legal periodicals (not lawyer blogs), which can be supplemented by law dictionaries or the textbook. This means you need to use more than just your text and legal dictionaries.