Suppose Stephen Mobley, who was convicted and executed for the murder of John Collins, carried the variant of the MAOA gene that has been associated with violent behavior. If you were on the jury that convicted and sentenced Mobley, would this information have influenced your view of his guilt or innocence? Would it have changed your opinion of his sentence? Why or why not?
What will be an ideal response?
Background:
At Mobley's trial, a motion was filed seeking funds to hire expert witnesses to assess whether Mobley had a mutation in a gene called MAOA that might have been a genetic basis for his violent and impulsive behavior. This request was partly based on a study showing that members of a Dutch family with a history of violent behavior carried a specific MAOA mutation. The court denied the motion on the basis that there was not sufficient evidence to scientifically verify a link between the gene to violent behavior. Mobley was found guilty of murder and other charges and was executed by lethal injection in 2005.
Subsequent research showed that a variation in the promoter region of the MAOA gene (not the mutation identified in the Dutch study) combined with a history of childhood mistreatment was significantly correlated with violent antisocial behavior in affected males. This study concluded that a combination of genotype and environmental factors can increase an individual's risk for violent behavior. The results of this work were validated by others and illustrate the connections among a single gene, environmental factors, the function of cells in the nervous system, and behavior. What if Stephen Mobley carried this mutation?
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In the water cycle, animals return water to the environment by
A. transpiration and excretion. B. excretion. C. transpiration. D. evaporation and excretion. E. evaporation.
An example of mutualism is:
a. mycorrhizae and epiphytes. b. epiphytes and tapeworms. c. monarch and viceroy butterflies. d. silverfish and army ants. e. Rhizobium and legumes.
The outer annual rings where transport occurs is called heartwood.
Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)