In this paper, the movie “The Judge” is going to be discussed to view the criminal case that is presented. The case that is being represented in the movie is The State of Indiana v. Joseph Palmer of murder in the first degree. The fact that is known is that the victim, mark Blackwell, was struck by a vehicle while riding his bike at night from a convenience store during a rain storm. The issues that arise from the case that is mentioned is trying to put the accused at the scene of the crime because moments before the alleged crime, the victim and the accused were seen having a brief conversation at a local convenience store. By analyzing the case from a criminological perspective, I will be able to determine if the facts and issues that are …show more content…
Earlier that day before the accident, the judge had just lost his wife, made Mark Blackwell surrender his vehicle to his ex-wife as payment for missed child support. The judge and Mark Blackwell have also had a history together due to the fact the judge has sentenced him twice earlier in his life once for a violent act against his girlfriend which he received a light sentence of 30 days in jail and then again when Blackwell killed his girlfriend shortly after he was released from jail and received a twenty-year sentence. The evidence was strong against Joseph Palmer which would include blood of the victim on the front end of the Mr. Palmers’ 71 Cadillac DeVille, the conversation the two had during an encounter at a local convenience store w, and the security camera showing the changing of his path home to follow the victim (Mark Blackwell).
Although there is sufficient evidence against the accused there are also issues with the story of the night when the victim was hit while riding his bike home. This would include that there was no eyewitness of the accident and the victim, Mark Blackwell, was under the influence of Acetaminophen / Oxycodone, a blood alcohol rating of .23, and Joseph Palmer has no memory of hitting the victim, which is because the judge is taking chemotherapy for colon cancer, which the side effects would include depression, fits of anger, and