Steve’s probable guilt is reinforced by the fact that the state prosecutor labels him a “ monster ” in her opening remarks, and this becomes the way that Steve sees himself throughout the novel, dehumanizing himself.
Contrasting with the other three people implicated in the robbery, Steve has no criminal history and is a decent and sensitive kid. He describes his court case—in which his co-defendant is a man he knows from his neighborhood, James King —through personal notes and a screenplay he writes in his journal as the events happen.
The trial begins with the opening statements of the prosecutor Sandra Petrocelli, Miss O'Brien, and King's lawyer, Asa Briggs. Petrocelli labels the four accused men, including Steve, as "monsters."
Steve thinks he isn't guilty because he just walked in the drugstore to look for some mints, then walked back out; he didn't kill Nesbitt What happens when Steve's mother visits him? They visit about everyday things, she questions her choice of a lawyer, tells his she will bring Jerry the next day, and brings him a Bible.
Kathy O'Brien - She is Steve's defense attorney who uses his character traits before the crime and makes sure she distances him from the other defendants as way of getting a not guilty verdict. Sandra Petrocelli - She is the Assistant District Attorney who prosecutes the case against Steve and James King.
In this story, Steve Harmon is a sixteen year old boy, on trial with his neighborhood acquaintance, James King, for the accusation of the robbery and murder of Alguinaldo Nesbitt.
Petrocelli claims that Bobo, Osvaldo, King, and Steve are all guilty. Steve is guilty because he failed to stop the robbery as the lookout—had he done his job, Nesbitt might still be alive. As for King, she says, he's guilty because he hangs out with the wrong kind of dudes and, as a result, Nesbitt is dead.
Asa BriggsAsa Briggs is James King's defense attorney. Briggs is an older man who often looks tired and seems to know that he is in a doomed position—King is obviously a criminal figure and nearly impossible to defend, especially since he is almost certainly guilty of Mr. Nesbitt's murder.
Osvaldo is a 14-year-old kid from Harlem and an admitted accomplice in the robbery that resulted in Mr. Nesbitt's felony murder.
For King, the jury determined him guilty and for Steve, the jury determined him not guilty. King is sentenced by the judge to serve 25 years to life in prison.
Bobo testifies that he's known James King a long time, but that he just met Steve before the robbery went down. He says he is presently serving 7 and a half to 10 years for selling drugs, breaking and entering, grand theft auto, taking a car radio, and fighting guy who later died.
During Steve's trial, witnesses testify in exchange for reduced sentencing for their own crimes or to present a narrative beneficial to themselves. They are often caught in lies on the stand, suggesting that the personal motivation that each witness has for testifying presses them to lie rather than tell the truth.
In Monster, there are only three major female characters. They are Sandra Petrocelli (the prosecutor), Kathy O'Brien (Steve's defense attorney), and Mrs.
Monster CharactersSteve Harmon is the protagonist of the novel. ... Kathy O'Brien is Steve's defense lawyer. ... Sandra Petrocelli is the prosecutor, who employs coercive tactics and labels Steve a "monster."Asa Briggs is James King's defense lawyer, who pushes back against Petrocelli's tactics.More items...•
Although Steve's actual guilt or innocence is never explicitly revealed, his inner narrative and framing of events suggests that he did participate in the robbery in a minimal way, simply walking into the drugstore and back out of it to check for cops, and leaving before King and Bobo Evans went in to commit the actual ...
George Sawicki takes the stand and answers O'Brien's questions. He says Steve was in his film club for three years, and that he thinks Steve is the bomb-diggity: "talented, bright, […] compassionate" (18.176), and honest, not to mention a regular Steven Spielberg behind the lens.
In the book Monster, Steve's lawyer, Kathy O'Brien, wanted the jury to see that Zinzi (Sal Zinzi) is not a credible witness. O'Brien brings many facts regarding his checkered past and the relevancy of his testimony.
2. O'Brien gets Zinzi to admit that the only reason he is testifying is so that he can get out of jail early.
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Kathy O'Brien, Steve's lawyer, informs him on what will happen during the trial. At this stage, only two of the four accused – James King and Steve – will be tried, since the other two accused – Richard "Bobo" Evans and Osvaldo Cruz – have entered into a plea bargain.
The trial begins with the opening statements of the prosecutor Sandra Petrocelli, Miss O'Brien, and King's lawyer, Asa Briggs. Petrocelli labels the four accused men, including Steve, as "monsters.".
The novel begins with 17-year-old Steve Harmon writing in his book awaiting for his trial for murder. Musing on his short time in prison so far, he decides to record this upcoming experience in the form of a movie screenplay. Kathy O'Brien, Steve's lawyer, informs him on what will happen during the trial. At this stage, only two of the four accused – James King and Steve – will be tried, since the other two accused – Richard "Bobo" Evans and Osvaldo Cruz – have entered into a plea bargain. When the trial first begins, Steve flashes back to a movie he saw in his school's film of predictability.
According to Cruz, the original plan was that Steve would go into the drugstore and signal if the coast was clear.
Before returning to the trial, Steve writes in his notes that he cannot psycholog ically handle writing down the tragic details of the robbery itself.
PZ7.M992 Mon 2004. Monster, published April 21, 1999 by HarperCollins, is a young adult drama novel by American author Walter Dean Myers. It was nominated for the 1999 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2000, and was named a Coretta Scott King Award Honor the same year.
Monster. (Myers novel) Monster, published April 21, 1999 by HarperCollins, is a young adult drama novel by American author Walter Dean Myers. It was nominated for the 1999 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2000, and was named a Coretta Scott King Award Honor the same year.
No matter what the circumstance, the authorities should have no reason to only prosecute one suspect when the party of two where both involved. Even when Wilds first talked with the police, he was repeatedly lying for a reason unknown to most podcast listeners. This led to think that the police was pushing Wilds to pick a suspect for the murder. In the podcast, the police that was interviewing Wilds was constantly suggesting what to say next and Wilds trying to comply, always agrees to what the police are telling him. But why would Wilds go to the authorities in the first place, if from there, he doesn’t even have his story made up?…
During his trial, he knew he was innocent, but the prosecution was using his former friend’s testimony against him. Even though Nichol refused to say on the stand that she had seen David stab Gail, because she really did not see. That refusal led Crown prosecutor Bobs Caldwell to use a new section of the Canada Evidence Act pertaining to the use of prior inconsistent statements to cast doubt on a witness 's credibility (Injustice E Busters, 2006). But the prosecutor was still able to read her statement to the jury. If the jury believed that Nichol had seen this crime in action, then they would have found David guilty.…
On the first day of the trial, Monday, Steve sits with his attorney Kathy O’Brien and listens to Petrocelli make her opening remarks: according to the state, late last December, James King and Richard “Bobo” Evans entered a drugstore, ...
On the stand, Steve testifies that he was nowhere near the drugstore on the day of the murder (though he’s privately admitted that he was) because he was working on a film project all week.
On Wednesday, Steve wakes up thinking about how in jail, they take people’s shoelaces and belts so inmates can’t kill themselves. Steve can’t help but think of himself as a monster, just as Petrocelli branded him. O’Brien told him that her job was to make the jury see Steve as a human being instead, and Steve understands why. In court, Petrocelli brings Detective Karyl in to testify, who (supposedly) investigated the murder and made the arrests, even though he never found any actual evidence at the crime scene. Steve recalls the night Karyl and his partner first questioned him. Karyl automatically assumed he was guilty and said he hoped Steve would get the death penalty, even though he’s just a kid. Back in the courtroom, Briggs accuses Karyl of not actually investigating at all, but just finding a few convicts who’d testify for him instead. O’Brien worries that none of this makes Steve look any more innocent, since half the jury will automatically think he’s guilty just because he’s a young black male. Osvaldo Cruz, a 14-year-old kid whom Steve had to be careful not to offend in Harlem, since he is part of a dangerous gang, testifies that he was pressured into participating in the robbery against his will by Bobo, who threatened him.
From what King told him, Bobo understood that Steve was supposed to be their lookout, and he saw Steve enter and exit the drugstore and walk away. After that, he and King entered and fought with Mr. Nesbitt.
In court, Petrocelli produces another witness, also a criminal who tells the same story as the first, in exchange for a reduced sentence. Once again, Briggs challenges the witness’s objectivity and moral character, and the judge adjourns the hearing for the day when Briggs starts to get heated.
Monster Summary. Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon recounts his and James King ’s trial for the killing of Mr. Nesbitt, a drugstore owner, in a botched robbery in Harlem six months prior. Through personal notes and a screenplay he writes in his notebook, Steve recounts the 11 days between the start of the case and the jury’s verdict.
O’Brien told him that her job was to make the jury see Steve as a human being instead, and Steve understands why. In court, Petrocelli brings Detective Karyl in to testify, who (supposedly) investigated the murder and made the arrests, even though he never found any actual evidence at the crime scene.
Once again, Steve expresses his suicidal ideations. Before falling asleep, Steve thinks about how much he misses his younger brother, Jerry. The trial continues on the following day. Briggs calls James King’s cousin to the stand to testify as a character witness.
Back in the courtroom, Lorelle Henry is called to testify. Henry explains that she saw James King in the drugstore, thus confirming that he was at the scene of the crime. Henry then identifies James in court. During the cross-examination, the lawyers reference that Henry also correctly identified James in the lineup at the precinct. Bobo, clad in a prison jumpsuit, then takes the stand.
During his cross-examination, Briggs confronts Bobo about his involvement in the crime and Bobo’s drug-dealing past. Briggs asserts that Bobo, as the “experienced” criminal, coerced James into the crime. Briggs also argues that Bobo is inherently selfish and merely testifying in order to shorten his own sentence.
Bobo tells O’Brien that he does not know Osvaldo well, and that he never threatened Osvaldo nor pressured him to be an accomplice. Bobo confirms that both he and King were waiting for Steve to give them the “all-clear” before entering the drugstore.
Bobo is currently serving time in prison for selling drugs, and he tells the jury that he’s been previously arrested for breaking ...
During King’s defense case, Asa Briggs calls King’s cousin to the stand. This testimony is an example of the role of character witnesses in the court case. Briggs uses King’s cousin’s point of view to try and vouch for his defendant’s character. However, it is clear that his cousin does not know much about James and his habits, values, or beliefs.
When Bobo explains that King did not intend to commit murder, the reader is prompted to consider the importance of intention when analyzing a crime. Does James King’s intention really matter when deciding his sentence? Similarly, Steve’s alleged involvement in the crime is as a conspirator, not as a perpetrator. However, Petrocelli argues that all four men involved are equally culpable in the murder. Once again, the reader is prompted to analyze intention and involvement and form an opinion about whether these issues are valid in a court of law.
Steve is discouraged because O'Brien feels the case is not going well; hearing prisoners discuss crimes and jail sentences causes him to think about his own possible jail term; guards torment him; death photos of Nesbitt torment him; fear overpowers everything else
He and King planned the robbery and Steve acted as a lookout. He and King got into an argument with Nesbitt, who pulled a gun on them and started shooting. The struggled and King accidentally killed Nesbitt with a gun. They took some cigarettes, money, left, bought food, and split the rest of the money.
Steve dreams that he is in the courtroom trying to ask questions and , although he is shouting, no one can hear him and everyone goes about business as if he isn't there
Five cartons of cigarettes were stolen after the murder. A witness for the prosecution (Zinzi) tells the court that while he was in jail, another inmate told him he had bought stolen cigarettes from a man involved in a drugstore robbery. The prosecutor ties these cigarettes to the crime.
In Steve's screenplay, Kathy is "the defense attorney with doubts" (2.16). She's "all business as she talks to Steve" (2.32), and sees no need to believe her clients, or even to believe in them—her job is only to prove their innocence to a jury.
Steve isn't a person to Sandra. He is what she calls him: a monster. In her words, monsters are "people who are willing to steal and to kill, people who disregard the rights of others" (2.80). This makes Steve, Bobo, and King all monsters who deserve to get slapped with guilty verdicts and locked away for life… which is exactly what she tells the jury in her opening and closing statements. In Petrocelli's words, lookout or not, Steve "is as guilty as everybody else, no matter how many moral hairs he can split" (18.238). She accuses him of toilet-level morals, because no matter how much he may believe in his own innocence, he is, in fact, complicit in the murder.