CONTENT:
Forensic Psychology Name:Institution:Forensic psychology has become an important field in law. It has helped track down criminals and in the court ruling. The forensic psychology combines the law and the psychology. The psychologists help in examine criminal cases through their psychological expertise and provide evidence through their testimony, they may recommend or they may analyze the case. The evidence provided therefore, can be in support or may refute the accused (Fulero, & Wrightsman, 2008). The case of Sherman Fields is relevant in evaluating the importance of psychological research on the court ruling, the implications that it may cause, and analyze the ruling in comparison to the psychological research. The court convicted Sherman of murdering Coleman his ex-girlfriend, for possessing firearms, carjacking and for escaping from federal custody. The court sentences Sherman to death. However, he appealed to challenge the convictions and the death penalty. He argues that the court erred in passing the judgment. For example, he states that the court erred on the constitutional rights, on the confrontation clause, and the expert opinion. Therefore, the psychology research provided by the psychiatrist is a major issue for the appeal of the Fields. The discussion herein is in effort to analyze the impact of psychology in law. To examine the case and the situation of Fields` case the jury assigned Dr. Coons the duty to examine the dangerousness of Fields. The doctor had to provide evidence and analysis to the jury. The jury depending on the analysis and the opinion of Dr. Coons realized that it would be dangerous to include people with the tendency to commit suicide in a correctional facility (Goldstein, 2006). However, Fields contends that it was an error by the district court to admit the testimony of a psychologist. The doctor examined the Fields background, he testified that with the education and the experience exposed the facts that in case of the capital murder in relation and the criminal history. Doctor said that with such background the individual is likely to cause harm to self and others. Therefore, the only option was to execute the individual. This gave the court the basis for sentencing Fields to death.On his research, Coons based the opinion on the review he did about Fields. the materials for research included reco...