who is steve's lawyer monster

Full Answer

What kind of criminal history does Steve have?

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.

How does Steve feel about himself in Monster?

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.

What do you think of Steve as a person?

I think [Steve’s] an outstanding young man. He is talented, bright, and compassionate. He’s very much involved with depicting his neighborhood and environment in a positive manner. [O’BRIEN’s] lips tense; she is pensive. She gathers her papers and moves away as STEVE, arms still outstretched, turns toward the camera.

What does Petrocelli say about Steve in Monster?

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.

Who is Steve defense lawyer in Monster?

Kathy O'BrienKathy O'Brien (the defense attorney) 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.

Who is King lawyer in Monster?

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.

Is Steve innocent or guilty in Monster?

In Monster, Steve was found not guilty on all counts against him in a court of law. In this sense, he is most definitely innocent. However, some viewers might be tempted to believe that he was actually guilty because he chose to enter the store as William demanded.

What is Steve accused of in Monster?

Steve Harmon was accused of taking part in the robbery that resulted in his murder. Steve's name was linked with James King and Bobo Evans—two neighborhood thugs. The two had implicated Steve as their look-out for the day they had planned to rob Mr. Nesbitt.

Who is Osvaldo Cruz monster?

Osvaldo is a 14-year-old kid from Harlem and an admitted accomplice in the robbery that resulted in Mr. Nesbitt's felony murder.

Did Steve Harmon commit the crime in monster?

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 ...

Does Steve tell the truth on the witness stand?

On the stand at trial, did Steve tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? No. He lied when he said he was not in the drugstore on the day of the robbery.

Why is Steve convicted not guilty?

Steve is put on trial that could result in 25 years to life in prison if he was guilty. He gets the verdict of not guilty since there is room for reasonable doubt, and is released from jail. Steve is definitely guilty since the jury was not able to read his journal and think his thoughts.

Why is Steve in jail Monster?

In Walter Dean Myers' Monster, Steve Harmon the defendant in the trial is being charged for felony murder. The monster in him is the struggle between his innocence and guilt.

Who else is on trial with Steve?

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.

Who is Steve's defense attorney?

Kathy O’Brien Character Analysis. Kathy O’Brien. Kathy O’Brien is Steve ’s defense attorney. O’Brien is fairly humorless, but Steve feels as if she is the only person involved in the trial who actually wants to understand who Steve is as a person.

What does Steve remember about O'Brien?

In his notes, Steve remembers that O’Brien warned him not write anything in his notebook that he wouldn’t want the prosecutor to... (full context) Sunday, July 12th. ...day. Steve looks over his movie and wishes that this life were only a movie.

Why is O'Brien angry with Petrocelli?

In his notes, Steve records that O’Brien is angry today because Petrocelli is intentionally manipulating the jury, showing them the grisly photos... (full context) Saturday, July 11th.

What is the goal of O'Brien and Steve?

Although O’Brien feels that their chances of winning the case are slim, she makes a genuine effort to defend Steve and display his good character, telling him that their main goal is to make Steve seem different from the other three obvious criminals involved in Mr. Nesbitt ’s murder.

Why does O'Brien tell Steve he is innocent?

O’Brien tells Steve that purely because he is a young black male, half the jury will already assume he is guilty from the moment they see him. Although O’Brien wants to defend Steve and understand who he is as a person, Steve senses that O’Brien does not truly believe he is innocent.

What does Steve write in his notebook?

Steve tells her he’s scared, and that he’s writing this all down in his notebook... (full context) On his notepad, Steve writes “monster” over and over again, until O’Brien takes the pencil from him and crosses each “monster” out and tells him to believe... (full context) ...neighborhood.

Who calls Lorelle Henry to the stage?

Steve resumes his screenplay. In the courthouse, O’Brien and Petrocelli chat briefly with the judge before Petrocelli calls Lorelle Henry to the stage,... (full context)

Who is the detective who arrested Steve?

Detective Karyl is the investigating officer who arrested Steve. He is malicious and prejudiced, automatically assuming that a young black man must be guilty and vindictively saying that he hopes Steve will be executed. Detective Karyl is complicit in the corruption of the system not only because of his racist attitude but because he has not bothered to look into the incident thoroughly or carry out his duties carefully.

Who is Steve's teacher?

Mr. Sawicki. Mr. Sawicki , Steve’s film teacher, appears as a character witness and says that Steve is a decent boy and a creative, thoughtful filmmaker. He is one of the few people who appears to believe in Steve’s innocence and understand his character.

What is Steve's mother's religion?

Steve’s mother is deep ly religious and tries to support her son with words from the Bible. She finds it impossible to hide her distress at seeing her son in prison, and she cannot stop breaking down and crying when she visits.

Why is James King silent?

He is largely silent, because his lawyer is convinced that his obvious guilt and lack of intelligence would cause him to incriminate himself if he were to speak. King is a foil to Steve, who once had a certain amount of respect for King’s tough demeanor but soon realizes that he is actually a powerless fool.

What is Steve's father's view on the trial?

Steve’s father is depicted as conscientious and well-intentioned but distant and even distrustful of his son, who has not lived up to his expectations. Steve does not think his father really believes he is innocent and feels that their relationship has suffered irreparable damage as a result of the trial.

Why is Steve naming so ironic?

This naming is profoundly ironic, because there is nothing remotely monstrous about Steve. He is thoughtful, sensitive and creative, mainly interested in making film documentaries about his neighborhood. It is not clear whether Steve has some minimal involvement in the robbery.

Who are the main characters in Monster?

Monster Characters. T he main characters in Monster are Steve Harmon, Kathy O'Brien, Sandra Petrocelli, Asa Briggs, and James King. Steve Harmon is the protagonist of the novel. A high school student with a passion for filmmaking, Steve's involvement in the case causes him to rethink his sense of self. Kathy O'Brien is Steve's defense lawyer.

Who is Steve's lawyer in Monster?

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.

Why does O'Brien get Zinzi to admit he is testifying?

2. O'Brien gets Zinzi to admit that the only reason he is testifying is so that he can get out of jail early.

How long is the free trial for eNotes?

Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime.

Who is the defense attorney in Steve's movie?

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.

What does Sandra call Steve?

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.