Mitchell V. Wisconsin: Why Mitchell V. Wisconsin Sucked

Part I of Essay
On June 11, 1993, the United State Supreme Court upheld Wisconsin's penalty enhancement law, which imposes harsher sentences on criminals who "intentionally select the person against whom the crime...is committed..because of the race, religion, color, disability, sexual or ....

Part II of Essay
.... in a coma for four days. Mitchell was convicted of aggravated battery, which carries a two year maximum sentence. The Wisconsin jury, however, found that because Mitchell selected his victim based on race, the penalty enhancement law allowed Mitchell to be sentenced to up to seven years. The jury sentenced Mitchell to four years, twice the maximum for the crime he committed without the penalty enhancement law. The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling was faulty, and defied a number of precedents. The Wisconsin law is unconstitutional, ....