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GSDS Mock Trial
Preparing for Competitions and for the Future
Those students are part of the Mock Trial team, a club that receives a
packet of case material from the North Carolina Academy of Trial
Lawyers. They take that material and memorize, analyze, scrutinize and
devour it. There are students who “play” attorneys and there are some
who “play” witnesses. Each person has a role that they have to learn and
act out on competition day. They will compete in a regional competition
against other schools in a certain region and then, if they advance to
the state competition, they will travel to the new court house in
Last year, the Gray Stone Mock Trial team made it to the state
competition last year and placed seventh overall. This year, most of the
same members are on the team. The team is lead by Senior Raegan Perry
and juniors, Sam Hurley and Kaitlen Price as the attorneys. All three
are returning Mock Trial veterans. The witnesses are Katie Hopkins,
Danny Horner, Eldon Zachek and Caitlin Corbett. The team is looking
strong this year and has received an astronomical amount of help from
Attorney Advisor, Anna Morrison and coach, Scott Wilson.
Coach Wilson is new to this Mock Trial experience. Having a colorful
background as a former professional baseball player, a mortgage and
reality broker and a policeman,
This year, the mock trial members are arguing a murder case. The
defendant is a sleepwalker and known hater of the victim. One night, at
a college party, the defendant and the victim were seen talking and then
later that night the victim was killed by blunt force trauma to the
head. There is evidence that the team has to analyze and admit into
court.
The basis for mock trial is to provide the building blocks and the
fundamentals for those interested in the law system. Mock trial team
members understand the concept of the objection “hearsay” and they know
how to argue its admissibility, a concept that many attorneys are unable
to grapple. As a senior and the lead attorney, Raegan Perry, says that
mock trial has opened her eyes to the career that she wants to pursue.
Many mock trail members, such as Perry, decide to spend their summers in
a court room or law firm as an intern, rather than soaking up the sun or
going to movies. Mock Trial team members and coaches are dedicated and
will strive to be the best that they can possibly be.
Senior witness, Danny Horner, says that, “Because it’s my senior year, I
want to make it to states and to do well.” Danny plays the character of
Alex Rome, a drunken college student who saw the defendant and the
victim converse the night of the murder.
At the trial, the attorneys are to give an opening statement and then a
closing statement at the end of the trial. Each side (the Defense and
Prosecution) has twenty minutes to question their three witnesses and
then fifteen minutes to cross examine them. The competition is an
all-day event, with each team competing in two complete trials and then
the top two teams competing in the final round.
Mock Trial is more than a club, it’s like a sport. This teams practices
every day of the week and on Saturdays. They have two wonderful coaches
who envision victory. These team members are preparing for their future.
Former Mock Trial Captain, Johnna Herron, is currently a sophomore at
UNC Chapel Hill and is on their mock trial team. Mock trial is a
stepping stone for future careers in the law profession.
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