Possible Practice

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view_printer_friendly.asp?id=799

Literary Characters on Trial

Message from Mr. Weckel

Congratulations to everyone for a job well done! It's not necessarily the outcome that matters, but the learning that takes place, and the knowledge received by doing.

Our Final Competition for 2009

This message was e-mailed to the faculty and staff of American Fork Junior High.


We can all be proud of our American Fork Junior High Mock Trial Team.

On March 6, we didn't quite win our competition at the Orem Courthouse against Dixon Middle School, though the initial point totals were so close that the judges had to spend extra time deliberating before they could declare a winner. Both teams did a great job.

I have been amazed at what a positive attitude this group has shown about learning from and enjoying the experience whether they won or lost.

It's not easy to be up there, as attorney, bailliff, or witness. The students have to memorize a great deal of material, prepare statements and questions and answers, learn procedure, be able to think on their feet, respond when the opposition comes up with questions and strategies our team wasn't prepared for, and, very importantly, work as a team. It's a lot to ask of a junior high student.

Mock Trial gets kids to think, to reason, to put forth an argument with civility. And it provides them positive experiences with our justice system.

Our case this year was a criminal case -- murder and other charges against a high school student accused of planting a bomb at his high school to get revenge against a gang that had bullied him. We received the case in January, played the prosecution at the end of February, and played Defense on Friday, March 6. Each time our team portrayed four attorneys, three witnesses, and a bailliff.

For the Prosecution our team roster included attorneys Boa, Jessica, Jack, and Kaden, and witnesses Alycen, Breanne, and Kaylynn. Jenseny was our bailliff.*

When we played Defense our team changed to attorneys Alycen, Kaylynn, Jessica, and Jack, witnesses Boa, Jenseny, and Kadan, and bailliff Breanne. Daniel went along as an alternate. *

Encourage students you think might do well at this to join our team next year.

Thanks for your support!

Claudia

* Last names were included in the message to the school faculty. I have omitted them from this internet post.

Presenting Evidence

Presenting Evidence

See Dianna Pugh Mock Trial at video at about 16:35.

http://diannapughmocktrial.blogspot.com/2009/02/mock-trial-sample-2.html

Witness Statements to call into question witness testimony

Is your testimony that. . . .
Your Honor, let the record reflect that I am holding in my hand a copy of this witness's statement. Let the record also reflect I am showing a copy to the opposing counsel.
Your Honor, May I approach the witness.

You did give a statement in this matter?
Would this be that statement?
You were telling the truth when you gave this statement?
Could you please point in the statement to where you said that. . . ?
It's not there, is it?

Dali Paintings

You can see more Dali pictures at http://www.virtualdali.com/
or
http://www.salvadordalimuseum.org/collection/collection_highlights.html

Defense Notes

Defense Notes
(also considering suggestions from Xanga = Monte Vista Mock Trial)

Rory Riley
Defense:
What Riley did was legal, but the investigation was flawed.
--did not immediately call bomb squad
--information taken from anonymous source
-- bomb would have been moved
- students should have known that garbage was emptied after lunch -- the bomb would be discovered. (Think about timing difference between Avery and Kim. Why is what Avery says better for our side?)
no fingerprints on bomb
Casey was surprised by visit -- So, he didn't seem to be expecting a visit from the police?
paint thinner's purpose
Besides as a component in bombs, isn't paint thinner actually more commonly used to thin and clean up paint? If you were to look in other garages, do you suppose you might find paint thinner in others?
Casey owned paint container -- Is it surprising that an artist would own paint thinner? Is it surprising that

Kim Killian
Defense: no fingerprints found on device
- job done by amateurs?
no oxygen pumped in real life -- Was there any device inside or attached to the trash can to pump oxygen into the can?
Ask Kim Killian if there would be only one student at Park Lane who could have put together the device. Please refresh our memories (if prosecution already asked ) -- There were no fingerprints found on the device, correct?

Sawyer Simpson
Defense: accomplished chemist - could have means and ability
did not like Casey - possible motive --
Sawyer was involved in bullying before.
If Casey was credible, if Casey again reported Sawyer for bullying, Sawyer would lose senior privileges.
did not examine trash can -- Wouldn't one student wonder what was in a trash can if another student were looking in it, then looking around as if to see if anyone else were there (saw her looking)?
did not see Casey throw anything in --- no apparent reason to be by the trash can
waited to formulate story -- ?
knew about pictures on R-Place -- How? Why at Casey's rPlace page? if Casey was not among your friends?

Casey Campbell
Defense:
almost failed chemistry (last year/last term?)- inept bomb-maker? -- or Not the only student at Park Lane who could have made a bomb.
He is an artist. He paints how he feels.
no intentions of acting on thoughts -- studying, imitating Salvador Dali --
sought out counselor first
- was encouraged to continued artwork
- picture of Sawyer made after that meeting -- Can we assume that from the witness statement?
threat was to see counselor -- Threat explained.
would not hurt Jamie -- or anyone else
was known to clean brushes with thinner


Avery Atkinson --
Defense: experience needed - Sawyer had same means and opportunity
Time bombs are hard to make?
It was a stink bomb.
How easy is it to obtain paint thinner and doxene?
intent could not be determined due to tampering (Do we want to to there? Accuse Riley of "tampering" with the bomb. I don't think so. However, we can point out that pictures should have been taken, etc.
minimal damage done by bomb if detonated -- Someone who really intended to do damage/inflict death, injury could have would have created a more potent device.

Cameron Cortez
Defense: anonymous, undisclosed note - would have to be Sawyer -- or could be Sawyer
was a false accusation after full investigation
Sawyer had motive to frame Casey
hearsay evidence by Sawyer
Sawyer closely monitored Casey's activities -- looking at R-Place page, watching Casey that morning at school
- lunch not mentioned by Sawyer ?
- tardiness not typical of a good student