MOCK TRIAL Its a murder trial Get ready

MOCK TRIAL It’s a murder trial. Get ready.

Objectives 1. To promote increased confidence, poise, oral skills, critical thinking skills and teamwork skills. 2. To gain a better understanding of the legal system – from the rules of evidence to proper court decorum. 3. To provide a hands-on experience from which students can learn about law, society, and themselves.

Roles: Attorneys PROSECUTORS DEFENSE ATTORNEYS • Presents a case for the state against the defendant • Offers witnesses to present their • Questions witnesses client’s version of the facts • Tries to convince the jury • Tries to undermine that the defendant is prosecution’s case by showing guilty beyond a that the prosecution has failed reasonable doubt to prove its case beyond a • Tries to refute any reasonable doubt defense presented by the • That testimony is defendant inconsistent, witnesses cannot be depended, etc

Roles: Witnesses • Must testify only to the facts stated or reasonably implied from the witness sheets

Roles: Judge and Jury • Jury: • Deliberate the evidence (only the evidence at hand!) to come to a conclusion • Present your verdict to the judge (guilty, not guilty; type of murder if guilty) • Judge: • Instruct the jurors as to the laws that apply to the case • Come to a FAIR sentencing based on the jury’s verdict

Assign roles!! Each side, prosecution and defense, will need: • Three lawyers • Four researchers • Three witnesses (I have your roles and witness sheets for you) • One person to give opening and closing statement We will also need: • Six jurors • One judge