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 Attorneys for the Plaintiff (left to right) Mark Hewitt, Liz Lindberg, Edmung Herzon, Andrew Matier |
 The Defense Team - (left to right) Nicole Molinari, Joe Lyon, Jon Bradford, Michael Kaplan |
Preparation began in late November when the classes received their Case Files regarding the trial. Rose S. Hennessey, the Plaintiff, was suing John Morgan, her former employer for making defamatory statements regarding her allegedly stealing a diamond brooch. Ms. Hennessey claimed that John Morgan injured her reputation and prevented her from receiving satisfactory employment. The alleged defamatory statements were made to three different people. The first statement was made to his wife, Mrs. Eleanor Morgan, the second to Mr. Howard Barlow, and last to Mrs. Michelle Garner, an Assistant Manager at the ABC Employment Agency.
 Veronica Dedrick as Rose Hennessey & Attorney Mark Hewitt |
The first step in preparation for the trial was to assign roles; these roles included four attorneys for each team and three witnesses for the Defense, as well as four witnesses for the Prosecution. The Defense attorneys included Jon Bradford, Michael Kaplan, Joe Lyon, and Nicole Molinari. The three witnesses for the Defense were John Morgan, Eleanor Morgan, and Howard Barlow, portrayed by Kaycee Nedrow, Anzhela Vorobyev, and Vernon Nabinger. The four attorneys for the Prosecution included Edmund Herzog, Mark Hewitt, Elizabeth Lindberg, and Andrew Matier. The four witnesses for the Prosecution were Rose Hennessey, Father Donald Taylor, Michelle Garner, and Martha Vasquez, portrayed by Veronica Dedrick, Kyle Sweazey, Taylor Sweazey, and Cole Rourke, a participant of the 2005 Mock Trial.
 Attorneys Nicole Molinari and Liz Lindberg |
Attorneys and witnesses from each team paired together to create questions that would be used for direct examinations, and the attorneys, given the assignment of writing opening and closing statements as well as cross examinations, worked independently to completing their tasks as well. The class then came together as a whole to create a replica of what the trial would be like to give the attorneys practice in their examinations, and witnesses practice giving their testimonies.
 Attorney Michael Kaplan & Anzhela Vorobyev as Eleanor Morgan |
Judges that presided over the mock trials were actual area judges who volunteered their services. After an intense day of arguing, testifying, objecting, and examining, the juries, composed of a variety of high school and college students, reached their verdicts. The strategy of Lansing Defense proved to be very successful as one jury ruled that the Plaintiff received no damages. Unfortunately for the Lansing Prosecution, their Plaintiff, Rose Hennessey, also received no damages as their jury reached the same verdict, not for lack of effort by the team’s four attorneys.
 Kyle Sweazey as Father Donald Taylor andVernon Nabinger as Howard Barlow |
Each year, the mock trial is a great learning experience for everyone involved. Nicole Molinari, sophomore, stated, “I thought the mock trial was a very positive experience. I learned a lot.” Kyle Sweazey, sophomore, added, “I was skeptical about this activity at first, but I ended up having fun and learning a lot.” The distinctive courtroom forum allows students the opportunity to improve their public speaking and reasoning skills in a challenging, yet enjoyable, manner. It also promotes teamwork among students from different schools competing against their peers around the county. For budding lawyers as well as future jurors, the activity helps students understand the procedures and workings of real courtrooms.
This project was funded by the Carl D. Perkins act, through the Tompkins Cortland Tech Prep Consortium.
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