Criminal Law Keyed to Dressler
People v. McCoy
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*Case Brief Anatomy includes: Brief Prologue, Complete Case Brief, Brief Epilogue
- The Brief Prologue provides necessary case brief introductory information and includes:
- Topic: Identifies the topic of law and where this case fits within your course outline.
- Parties: Identifies the cast of characters involved in the case.
- Procedural Posture & History: Shares the case history with how lower courts have ruled on the matter.
- Case Key Terms, Acts, Doctrines, etc.: A case specific Legal Term Dictionary.
- Case Doctrines, Acts, Statutes, Amendments and Treatises: Identifies and Defines Legal Authority used in this case.
- The Case Brief is the complete case summarized and authored in the traditional Law School I.R.A.C. format. The Pro case brief includes:
- Brief Facts: A Synopsis of the Facts of the case.
- Rule of Law: Identifies the Legal Principle the Court used in deciding the case.
- Facts: What are the factual circumstances that gave rise to the civil or criminal case? What is the relationship of the Parties that are involved in the case. Review the Facts of this case here:
McCoy was the driver of the vehicle and Lakey rode in the front passenger seat, with other individuals in the back. As the vehicle approached a group of four people standing together on a street corner, Lackey leaned out of the car and shouted something in their direction. A flurry of shots came from the vehicle towards the group of four. Witnesses stated that both Lakey and McCoy shot handguns at that group, but the evidence showed that McCoy fired the bullets that fatally killed one of the group members. One other group member was injured, while the other two escaped injury. Lakey was injured when someone on the street returned fire at the vehicle. At trial, McCoy testified that he shot at the group because he believed that he was in danger. McCoy testified that earlier in the day he had driven by that same street corner and someone had fired shots in his direction. Subsequently, McCoy testified that when he returned with Lakey and the others, he shot at the group because he noticed an individual with an object that appeared to be a gun. A jury eventually found McCoy and Lakey guilty of first degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. The Court of Appeals reversed both McCoy and Lakey’s murder and attempted murder convictions.
- Issue(s): Lists the Questions of Law that are raised by the Facts of the case.
- Holding: Shares the Court's answer to the legal questions raised in the issue.
- Concurring / Dissenting Opinions: Includes valuable concurring or dissenting opinions and their key points.
- Reasoning and Analysis: Identifies the chain of argument(s) which led the judges to rule as they did.
- The Brief Prologue closes the case brief with important forward-looking discussion and includes:
- Policy: Identifies the Policy if any that has been established by the case.
- Court Direction: Shares where the Court went from here for this case.