Procedures

• STEP 1.

  As a class, view the following videos and answer the questions below to lay the foundation for students to understand this case:

  VIDEO CLIP: The History of the 4th Amendment (4:52)

  VIDEO CLIP: The Background of the Case I (2:46)

  VIDEO CLIP: The Background of the Case II (3:57)

  • Describe the rights protected in the 4th Amendment.

  • Explain why the 4th Amendment was included in the Bill of Rights.

  • What needs to happen for a search to be considered legal?

  • What is the exclusionary rule? How does it impact Mapp v. Ohio?

  • Describe the story and events involving Dollree Mapp that led to her initial arrest.

  • What was included in the different police reports regarding the arrest of Dollree Mapp?

  • Explain the controversy over the search warrant in the police report according to Professor Long.

  • Describe how Dollree Mapp was eventually indicted on obscenity charges.

• STEP 2.

  Students can either work independently or in groups to view the following video clips. They should take notes using the handout below:

  Handout: Supreme Court Case: Mapp v. Ohio (Google Doc)

• VIDEO CLIP: Path to the Supreme Court (1:39)

  • Describe how Dollree Mapp's case went from her initial trial all the way to the Supreme Court.

• VIDEO CLIP: Oral Arguments and Key Question (2:44)

  • Describe Attorney A.L. Kearns' argument for Dollree Mapp before the Supreme Court.

  • Describe Attorney Gertrude Mahon's argument for the state of Ohio before the Supreme Court.

  • What was the key question before the Supreme Court in Mapp v. Ohio?

• VIDEO CLIP: The Decision (6:30)

  • Explain the decision in this case and how it transitioned from being a First Amendment case to a Fourth Amendment case.

  • Explain Justice Tom Clark's remarks in his decision.

• VIDEO CLIP: The Exclusionary Rule (2:11)

  • Explain the misconception associated with the Exclusionary Rule.

  • According to Renee Hutchins, what is at the core of the Court's ruling in Mapp v. Ohio?

• VIDEO CLIP: Mapp v. Ohio: Legacy (3:06)

  • Describe the impact this case had on policing in the country.

• STEP 3.

  As a class, discuss the significance of this case, the precedent it set, and its legacy.

• STEP 4.

  Choose an activity from C-SPAN Classroom's Deliberations site to engage in a structured student-centered analysis of the case.