The Shipwrecked Sailors Paragaph Prosecution

#41511

Criminal/Law, Period: 6

September 21, 2011

Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, opposing counsel, I represent the People of the State of California in this action. Sitting before you at the defendants' table, are two sailors, Navigator Dudley and Dr. Stephens, who are extremely fortunate of surviving the sinking of their ship. They are here today because when their ship sank, a third shipmate was with them. You may wonder where this third surviving shipmate is, but due to the actions of these two gentlemen, he will not be joining us today. We will prove to you that Sailor Brooks is not here on the behalf of the inconsiderate actions and choices of these men.

After recovering from the sinking of their ship, these two men along with Sailor Brooks had discussed their thoughts on where they should go from there. Keep in mind these men had been miles away from land, which meant they had been very far from any nourishment. These men knew that they could not survive without any food or water. Due to extreme conditions and starvation, Dudley and Stephens drew lots after about twenty five days and decided that the loser would be killed and eaten as food. Brooks had objected and refused. But due to the cruel and inconsiderate choices of these men, they both, Dudley and Stephens decided that since Brooks was already weak, he would die anyway so they might as well get it over with and took matters into their own hands and took the life of Sailor Brooks and ate him. Five days later, these remaining two men were rescued and ensuing actions incurred their murder charges.

Due to the fact that there were not any other survivors of the shipwreck but Dudley, Stephens and Brooks, there were not any other witnesses during this alleged crime. Therefore, there isn't any other evidence that is to be presented. This seems to be a simple case over the battle of life and death, and it truly is.

The two men, Dudley and Stephens, made a conscious decision to commit not only the crime of murder, but the atrocity of cannibalism.

Crime is crime and law is law in which both of these men are guilty of.

First of all, the actions committed by Dudley and Stephens were quite obviously illegal. Though not on the mainland, this court jurisdiction falls in the area of the crime at hand. Laws are still laws in our waters. Secondly, these men decided to kill Brooks with the justification that he was going to die soon anyway and they should get it over with. This type of euthanasia was completely unjustified, based on the fact that Brooks rejected the idea of having the men kill and eat him when his lot was drawn. Though Brooks may have been on his death bed, Dudley and Stephens committed murder by taking his life. Also, the discussion of drawing