Ep. 189 - The Sixth Amendment

A criminal trial has the potential to permanently alter the rest of one's life.  Punishments can range from fines to imprisonment to execution.  This gives the government tremendous ability to impose penalties on its citizens.  The Founders understood this and laid out criteria under which criminal trials would proceed.  Under the Sixth Amendment, trials are speedy and fair, juries are impartial and Congress cannot take any of these rights away from the accused.  We are delighted to have joining our all-star student panel Paul J. Larkin, Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation as he helps us understand the focus, meaning and purpose of the Sixth Amendment.