Question

Read the excerpts from "Wrongful Convictions” by Jon Gould and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson.

"Wrongful Convictions”

Race does not explain, in our study, wrongful convictions. It is not the case that one group of defendants on the basis of race is being wrongly convicted as opposed to another. To me that’s good news, and that’s something that comes out of our study.

[Police abuse] to elicit confessions. . . . That concept does not appear in many of the cases. Again, to me that is good news. . . .

What is important? . . .

. . . Number one, some of the defendants are not as sophisticated at a younger age as they are at an older age and were unable to be as helpful to their defense attorneys in being able to come up with alibis to explain what it is that they were doing at a particular time.

Just Mercy

After graduating from law school, I went back to the Deep South to represent the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. In the last thirty years, I’ve gotten close to people who have been wrongly convicted and sent to death row, people like Walter McMillian. In this book you will learn the story of Walter’s case, which taught me about our system’s disturbing indifference to inaccurate or unreliable verdicts, our comfort with bias, and our tolerance of unfair prosecutions and convictions. Walter’s experience taught me how our system traumatizes and victimizes people when we exercise our power to convict and condemn irresponsibly—not just the accused but also their families, their communities, and even the victims of crime. But Walter’s case also taught me something else: that there is light within this darkness.

Which statement best describes the tones of these excerpts?

Stevenson’s tone is enraged, while Gould’s tone is indifferent.
Stevenson’s tone is passionate, while Gould’s tone is instructive.
Stevenson’s tone is determined, while Gould’s tone is frustrated.
Stevenson’s tone is confused, while Gould’s tone is formal.

Answer 1

Stevenson’s tone is passionate, while Gould’s tone is instructive.