Emotion, Evidence, and UVA
02/11/12 08:18
Amanda sends this in:
This article popped on my newsfeed and I thought some aspects of it would be helpful for our discussion on Wednesday. For example, the author talks about emotional testimony and the impact of race and class on sentencing. And its a relevant, current case at UVA.
Huguely evidence casts UVA students in an unattractive light
February 9, 2012
The fourth day of the George Huguely was dominated by testimony from friends of George Huguely and Yeardley Love, talking about a culture among one segment of the University of Virginia student community more reminiscent of an early afternoon soap opera than of one of the country’s best institutions of higher learning. According to their friends, called as witnesses for the Commonwealth, their world was one of alcohol, promiscuity, jealousy, anger and fighting. I don’t need to rehash it all — if you want, look at WVIR’s website for the witness-by-witness detail. It brings to mind a quote from Chef on South Park — “There is a time and a place for everything. It’s called college.” In my on-the-air commentary for WVIR today, I mistakenly attributed the quote to Homer Simpson. My bad.
The problem for a lawyer in a murder case — either prosecution or defense — is to figure out how to deal with the reputations of the defendant and the victim. Within days, the photos appeared — George Huguely in his UVA lacrosse jersey, gray t-shirt visible underneath, hair disheveled, just a hint of a smile; Yeardley Love in what I assume was her UVA lacrosse jacket, makeup and hair perfect, beautiful smile, looking stunning.
More here.
This article popped on my newsfeed and I thought some aspects of it would be helpful for our discussion on Wednesday. For example, the author talks about emotional testimony and the impact of race and class on sentencing. And its a relevant, current case at UVA.
Huguely evidence casts UVA students in an unattractive light
February 9, 2012
The fourth day of the George Huguely was dominated by testimony from friends of George Huguely and Yeardley Love, talking about a culture among one segment of the University of Virginia student community more reminiscent of an early afternoon soap opera than of one of the country’s best institutions of higher learning. According to their friends, called as witnesses for the Commonwealth, their world was one of alcohol, promiscuity, jealousy, anger and fighting. I don’t need to rehash it all — if you want, look at WVIR’s website for the witness-by-witness detail. It brings to mind a quote from Chef on South Park — “There is a time and a place for everything. It’s called college.” In my on-the-air commentary for WVIR today, I mistakenly attributed the quote to Homer Simpson. My bad.
The problem for a lawyer in a murder case — either prosecution or defense — is to figure out how to deal with the reputations of the defendant and the victim. Within days, the photos appeared — George Huguely in his UVA lacrosse jersey, gray t-shirt visible underneath, hair disheveled, just a hint of a smile; Yeardley Love in what I assume was her UVA lacrosse jacket, makeup and hair perfect, beautiful smile, looking stunning.
More here.