Monster
: 20 Biggest Trials Analysis

In connection with

Getting started:
● Visit the following link ­ ­ browse through the 20 biggest trials, and select the one you are most interested in http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2011/07/07/famous­trials.html#slide_9 What you will do:
● An in depth analysis of the case, the law, and coverage in the media
○ Circumstances:
■ Time
■ Who was involved in this crime?
■ What allegedly took place?
■ What are the details of the crime?
■ How did the suspects get caught?
■ What are the cold hard facts/ evidence?
○ Law:
■ What law was broken?
● are there different layers/situations to this law?
■ What consequences exist for this law? (may be different from state to state) ○ News coverage: use the NY times as a good archive to start http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/nytarchive.html OR http://www.cnn.com/ ■ Find
2
photos on the prime suspect
● analyze these pictures ­ how do they make the suspect look
■ Analyze 2 news articles (must be from when the trial was taking place)
● Carefully look at phrases and vocabulary
● Are there biases in the articles?
● Do the articles provide opposite views?
● Are the same ideas popping up throughout the media
● What are the headlines suggesting?
○ Student claim:
■ This is where your analysis comes in
● Do you think the jury made the right decision?
● Was the verdict just ­ decided upon by facts alone OR do you think the media coverage