Just Mercy Research Paper

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Kevin Shin Mrs. Roberson AP Language and Composition 11 March 2024 Just Mercy Essay Laws are to uphold order, to uphold equal treatment, and to uphold justice. Despite this, there have been examples in the past and present of laws that instigate inequality, division, and unethical practices. When reviewing American history, there are multiple examples of laws making discrimination and poor conditions legal. Many accounts showed how people were struggling in these conditions created due to those laws. Even today, we have multiple stories of those who were crushed to the point of no recovery, while only crossing the law once. Is it justice to lock people up for years for one lapse in judgment or circumstances out of their power? Although laws …show more content…
Specifically, the US has broken hundreds of promises by taking back land or power and leaving natives in disrepair in reservations. This treatment toward Native Americans and the lack of responsibility by the government shows how laws can be ignored and manipulated. In Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock, it was declared that Congress could break treaties with natives unilaterally. This absurd ruling shows that laws can be created to perpetuate lies. Despite this, you may consider that unjust laws were things of the past, unfortunately, they are still present today. The use of solitary confinement is one example, the practice is legal in all states as it is not considered a cruel or unusual punishment. However, anecdotal evidence tells otherwise, such as Felton who spent “whole days hallucinating” and Anderson whose “mind’s gone dead”. Gawande 797-802. In both of these anecdotes, it is apparent that solitary confinement causes severe psychological damage, grinding down a person’s consciousness. Yet, it is still legal for prisoners to be subjected to these unethical practices. Is it truly justice for these people to be subjected to such a tortuous …show more content…
Going along with that statement, in Just Mercy, we can see Bryan experiencing the unethical yet legal treatment of his clients. For instance, Trina was just a 14-year-old girl who accidentally set her friend’s house on fire, killing them. At trial, under Pennsylvania law, the judge was unable to account for “age, mental illness, poverty, the abuse she had suffered, or the tragic circumstances”, sentencing her to life in an adult prison (Stevenson 150). The circumstances of this case and the ruling are very tragic and show how laws created injustice instead of preventing it. The Pennsylvania law that disallows consideration of circumstances is absurd and ignores critical factors in determining a proportional punishment. With this law and many others in America, cases like Trina's will only repeat themselves, creating injustice in the nation. Lastly, a recent prominent ruling that many consider unjust is the overturning of Roe v Wade, making abortion illegal. This ruling risks the lives of women across the United States and will lead to many other problems as a
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