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Fake trials, real Nationals
Mock Trial advances one team to a national competition in Minnesota this Spring Break
by David Montgomery
A young child has been kidnapped, and a close family friend has been accused of the crime. Evidence isn't conclusive and the fate of that possibly innocent friend rests in the hands of a three-person defense team. Chris Johnston '09, Ben Hering '09 and Laura Dobbs '06 will call witnesses, grill them, file objections and make stirring closing statements. A capricious judge will render a decision. The courtroom will be cleared. Later that day the same three students, with three others, will return to the case again-this time as the prosecution.
Grinnell's Mock Trial team has been arguing this same case ever since late September, but last weekend they finally got the verdict they had been hoping for: they would be sending a team to Nationals. Making their case at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., two Grinnell trial teams of three witnesses and three attorneys competed against 17 other teams. One of them placed fourth, which advanced them to the national competition in Minneapolis, Minn. March 17-19.
Presenting a mock trial case requires equal parts guts and legal knowledge, according to team co-captain Emily Scholten '06. "We prepare everything we can," she said. "Statements, direct examinations, [cross-examinations]. On the other hand, the witnesses aren't set. You have to be on your feet for which witness is called."
Hering agreed. "You have to have a lot of confidence," he said. "If you let people know that something didn't go the way you planned, you've already lost the case."
The final roster for the national tournament isn't set because it conflicts with a pre-scheduled Grinnell Singers trip to Eastern Europe. Members of the other team will fill in for missing members.
The team didn't expect to be in a position to be sending anyone at all.They had previously scheduled their end-of-year banquet for yesterday, but local attorney and team coach Brad McCall suggested they change the date. "I told them ... they'd qualify at least one team for Nationals and they'd still be practicing tonight," he said.
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