Powell vs. Alabama (1932)
DETAILS OF THE CASE:
9 troublesome black youths were accused of the rape of two white women. The courts in Alabama rushed through the legal process, completing 3 trials in one day. The young men were all sentenced to death, without their attorneys’ consultation.
CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION:
Did the trials violate the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?
DECISION AND LASTING EFFECT:
The court found that their rights were indeed violated. The defendants were not given any time necessary to discuss and secure counsel to their defense. The case provided an example of national constitutional protection in the criminal justice area. This case would established that everyone in a capital case had the right to counsel.
9 troublesome black youths were accused of the rape of two white women. The courts in Alabama rushed through the legal process, completing 3 trials in one day. The young men were all sentenced to death, without their attorneys’ consultation.
CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION:
Did the trials violate the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?
DECISION AND LASTING EFFECT:
The court found that their rights were indeed violated. The defendants were not given any time necessary to discuss and secure counsel to their defense. The case provided an example of national constitutional protection in the criminal justice area. This case would established that everyone in a capital case had the right to counsel.