Sixth Amendment

"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense."




What It Means To Me:
This amendment gives the rights to a speedy trial which would prevent innocent from being in jail. It also gives the right of a public trial, and a right to council.

This clip defines the 6th Amendment.

Los Angeles Times Article:
NATIONAL

Defendant can cross-examine forensic experts, Supreme Court rules

June 26, 2009 | David G. Savage

The Supreme Court announced Thursday a potentially significant change in how crime lab reports are used in trials, ruling that a defendant has the right to cross-examine in front of the jury the experts who prepared these reports. Crime labs have been subjected to criticism in the last decade, much of it because of DNA evidence that has shown at least 240 prisoners were in fact not guilty.

-This article is similar to the Powell v. Alabama case in 1932, where the accused were not guilty.