SIMPLE UI FOR AN EASY EXPERIENCE

Byrdie's design team has created an easy on-boarding experience for those that want to participate in the voting process. Although your vote is anonymous you are required to fill out all your basic information to confirm your unique identity. But once you've logged in, you have the opportunity to browse through any of the open cases. (Each case, open for about two weeks.) You can watch any testimony as many times as you like within that two week period but once you have cast your vote that case will no longer be a part of your case-cue. The process is easy, and reduces chances for error. You have the opportunity to view the results of finished cases once they are no longer pending, giving you an idea of how the majority chose to vote. 

5 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

With this new system intact, there have been passionate debates on the accessibility of participating in the process, (point of purchase, product supply) the integrity of the vote (lobbyists, uneducated voters, hackers etc.), and whether or not it is in the people's best interest to re-evaluate a judge's decision. Although these topics have resulted in heated discussion here are 5 things you should keep in mind.

1.  Those that are eligible to be re-evaluated have already been formally scrutinized and sentenced for life by the justice system. 

2.  Voting capabilities are unlocked once the user watches the entirety of the 5 minute testimony. You are also required to have read key documents from the case and will be tested accordingly prior to vote casting.

3.  You are either voting to keep the life sentence or voting to have a change in sentence, that does not mean they will have an immediate release. 

4.  You are only allowed to cast your vote once and SERV.IO guarantees the highest security (anonymity, no voter fraud,  and election protection) which is outlined in your terms and conditions when you sign up.

5. If you do have an issue affording the server you can  apply to receive a server for free. 

These servers are on sale for only $24.99 online and in stores, so get yours today and help change someone's life!

May Khin // 21 yr old female

May Khin was raised by a single mother, Elizabeth Khin, estranged from her father. They lived in a upper class house paid for by her grandparents. They refused to be involved in the case. May spent most of her time alone and her mother was always too distracted to entertain a young girl. She often caught her mother sneaking people into the house and disappearing into the bedroom. Her mother's bedroom often smelled like stale spilt liquor. 

Aaron Stoldt // 23 yr old male

Aaron Stoldt grew up in an extremely strict and proper household. His parents, names irrelevant, are lower class and had Aaron unexpectedly. They treated him as an adult as soon as they could, and immediately sent him to find work to help contribute to the family. Due to his fear of reprehension, Aaron found himself in many, less than choice situations, determined to bring money home. 

How it Happened

1 . May and Aaron first met when May was 12. She was a 6th grader with a lot of spunk but no friends. She didn’t know why she wasn’t cool, but her peers seemed pretty definitive with that conclusion so she learned to accept it.

2. May was walking down the hall towards the cafeteria when someone rammed their bony middle school shoulder into her small, frail, developing body, which resulted in her lunch on the floor and her apple rolling away as if freedom was its true destiny. May sighed and looked up to find an apple held out in front of her. Aaron helped her pick up her stuff and with a wink said, “ no charge.”

3. May and Aaron quickly became friends, both looking for a loyal companion, each getting exactly that. Although they had a couple years apart, they still spent most of their time after school together mostly at May’s place. It wasn’t romantic. Sometimes he’d stay the night in the guest room but when he did, he would leave at the break of dawn without saying goodbye. 

4. When Aaron turned 16 he began to suggest hanging out at the park or library. Sometimes May would comply but mostly she would drag him back to her place so she could have easy access to snacks, tv, and video games. His face always hardened when she refused. 

5. Whenever Aaron saw Elizabeth, his eyes would fall to the floor and his voice would disappear to a whisper. Elizabeth would put her hand on his cheek and say playfully, “ Speak up! I don’t bite.” May was always jealous by the attention her mother seemed to bestow onto Aaron.

6. Aaron laid in bed wide awake, naked, cold, and tired. He felt paralyzed his arm numb from the weight of her head. Elizabeth’s soft, silky hair felt prickly on his skin. She shifted in bed and he quickly closed his eyes pretending to be asleep. She usually left at around 5am. 

7. Five Thirty AM. Aaron slipped into his clothes, rushed out of the house with a wad of 50s poking out of his pocket. They reek of her perfume. 

8. It was Aaron’s 18th Birthday. He wore a nice leather coat, a gift to himself, and kept with him, a sleek black pocket knife, a gift from May. He hides in a secret nook at the library. He cries. 

9. May is 16 now. She feels like a woman, even though she’s not. She sneaks into her mother’s room to look for fancy jewelry and special clothes to help her look the way she feels. She finds a photo. Aaron, naked in her mother’s bed. Her blood runs cold. His eyes stare blankly at her. She runs to find Aaron.

10. They’re screaming at each other. Aaron and May are panicked, blood smeared everywhere. Elizabeth’s body between them; cold, lifeless, undressed. A pocket knife lies lonely on the carpet.

11. A neighbor calls the police reporting a noise complaint. 

12. The police barge into the house and find May kneeling over her mother’s body quiet and unmoving. Everyone is silent. Everything is red. The cuffs cut into her wrists. The police officer’s deep, bellowing voice begins to recite her rights. She remains silent unintentionally. 

Aaron uses Byrdie to vote on May’s Case

Chanda P. : May & Aaron

I think May and Aaron both killed Elizabeth together, but May somehow protected Aaron so he could get away. Both of them had motive to kill Elizabeth. May had just found out her mother was having an immoral relationship with her only friend (not to mention she was a distracted alcoholic for most of May's childhood). And Aaron was forced by Elizabeth into a terrible situation because he needed the money. I think when May arrived at home to find Aaron drunk with her mother still, an argument ensued among everyone and the two ended up killing Elizabeth (probably accidentally among the chaos) but they still did it. May then took Aaron to the alley a few blocks away (when in her video she says she put him in a car) because she knew he wouldn't remember and she wants him to get away. Even if their relationship wasn't romantic, it's clear at the end of her video that she cares about him, so I think she covers up for him. It's also clear at the end of Aaron's video that he can't shake the feeling that he was involved in the murder. So I think it was both of them, but May is intentionally taking the blame alone.

Michelle L. : Aaron

I'd say Aaron because firstly, disappearing seems to be a sign of guilt and for fleeing the scene. Drinking for being anxious until she became a blur -- he wouldn't have a clear conscious to actually remember if he committed the crime or not.

Aya D. : May

It seems as though May was the only competent person in the situation to have committed the crime. Aaron was drunk and he seems a lot more emotionally confused about Elizabeth to have actually killed her. In the way May is talking about the scene, it almost sounds like everything was falling apart except for her. May sounds like she felt she needed to take care of everyone. I think May feels angry that two people who were supposed to love her, her friend and mother, brought her to do something terrible in a situation that was thrust upon her when it spiraled out of control. I do believe that it was most likely an accidental murder, but regardless, May sounds like she feels it is all unfair that she continues to live with the consequences even though she was the one who was ultimately betrayed by everyone.

I am also not convinced Aaron continues his interest in May's case because he feels guilty of the murdering Elizabeth. I think the reason he has chosen to vote is because he feels guilty that he was the one who involved May in the dark affair.

I am curious as to why Aaron was acquitted of the crime? Surely he was investigated as authorities must of discovered his involvement given the evidence of the photo and May's testimony.

Quinn Z. : May

All that's known for sure is that May was conscious of the whole situation and she wants to get out of jail. She knows who the murderer is. So if it was Aaron, she'd say it was... she doesn't want to stay in jail. But she didn't say it was him, so that leaves her as the murderer. 

You could argue suicide but her mother was stabbed and we know May picked up the knife, perhaps it dropped accidentally on the way out but who wouldn't hear that. And lastly you could argue the third party ex-boyfriend like May said, but the weapon was found in his pocket, so that couldn't be it.

Vanessa D.  : Aaron

It seemed like Aaron has a lot of reasons going against him, he was drunk, everything was blurred, he felt unbridled rage; even May could barely keep a lie going to distance him from the situation. She kept stumbling over words and facts, trying to cover up anything that might connect him to the scene, and it seems like she would only do that if she knew he was the one who did it.

Marie B. : Aaron

I think it's Aaron because he feels like a slave to Elizabeth, as he is to everything. He kills her as an act of breaking the shackles from a source of control for him. I think May comes to him out of concern for the most part, maybe a little part out of anger, and they get into a heated argument about why he is participating in all of this,  Then Aaron heads back to talk with Elizabeth to try and end this.

Ciara B. : Aaron

I would say Aaron, but not because he had the knife or was sleeping with Elizabeth for money, although that definitely gives him motive. But, because I didn't feel May going into her mother's room to look for jewelry or clothes was vindictive (unless she killed her in a crazy range once she found the picture). 

Roma S. : May

I think the murder came out of this level of anger and feeling of betrayal May never experienced before and it kinda over took her.  I don't think she meant to kill Elizabeth but she lost herself for just enough time to commit the act.

Will K. : Aaron

Aaron must have taken the knife to threaten Elizabeth. Two years had elapsed since she had started forcing him to sleep with her, and finally he had enough. May must have went to look for Aaron, furious after seeing the picture, only to find Aaron threatening Elizabeth. At this point Elizabeth tried to take the knife away but was accidentally stabbed by Aaron. The cops show up but May doesn't say anything because she just lost the two people she cared about the most ( she wasn't a social butterfly). She was just speechless and didn't want her best friend to go to jail. Aaron didn't speak up because, as an 18 year old, it was too traumatizing to find the right words.

Spenser P. : May

I think May killed her mother. Aaron was raised from the beginning to work as a kid to bring home money for the family. This fucked up woman offered money for his services and because of his upbringing he knew not to let go of the opportunity. I think he winded up loving May and the guilt overtook him. I think May had both her mother and Aaron with the knife towards them. Then Mays anger got the best of her and she killed her so called, "mother." She couldn't bring her self to kill Aaron. I don't think Aaron blames her. He blames himself

Julia S. : May

I think she would feel more betrayed and also guilty. She seems to have a strong personality, whereas the guy seems more... not passive but less impulsive.

Alvan M. : May

Aaron was unhappy being with Elizabeth and although May didn't seem like the type to murder, May murders Elizabeth, in attempts to protect Aaron after Aaron refuses to do so.

Linda C. : Aaron

I don't think May would kill her own mother. In that moment I think she would feel more anger towards Aaron for betraying her friendship and trust. 

Carmen Z. : Elizabeth

I think Elizabeth committed suicide. I felt that she had serious issues, sneaking people around, resulting in her own self deprecating demise. 

Lisa N. : Aaron

I'm not sold on the idea that May and Elizabeth have a terrible relationship because the neglect between the two seems a little underdeveloped. I think May found Elizabeth's body when she went to find Aaron

Max B. : May

May seems like she is unstable and that she was in such shock after discovering Aaron was sleeping with her mother, that she just flipped. I think she felt angry that both Aaron and her Mother betrayed her trust, especially if she was harboring a crush on Aaron. I don't think Aaron had any motive to kill Elizabeth, if anything he had motive to kill himself. I think when May found them together, she couldn't even register that woman to be her mother, rather an older woman sleeping with her friend and only confidant. With that said it was easier for her to kill a stranger.