The Cazenovia High School Mock Trial Team is off and running for the 2017-18 competition season, starting with a win in first round play against Jordan-Elbridge High School.
High School Mock Trial is a program sponsored by the New York State Bar Association. The committee creates an imaginary case, often ripped from the headlines, and the students have to try both sides of the case against other teams.
Students from schools across the state compete starting in March, with the finalists traveling to Albany in May to try their cases before an actual judge of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division.
Cazenovia High School is competing against 15 other schools from the general area this year.
The Lakers were the area champion last year and came in second in the regional competition, missing the trip to Albany by a few points.
The team is litigating a criminal case involving a charge of disorderly conduct. In People v. Carson Conners, the Defendant is a high school student with poor grades who is accused of “tumultuous and violent conduct and threatening behavior” in school. The Defendant asserts that the charge was merely a ruse to get her suspended during standardized testing so that she would not bring down the teacher’s class average.
The Lakers prevailed representing the People in the first round of play on March 1 against Jordan-Elbridge High School. Zane Anthony, Eric Liddell and Megan Schwartz ably represented the prosecution. Emma Wardell played the part of Ms. Smith, the teacher who accused the Defendant of the disorderly conduct.
Claire Murray acted the part of Officer Jones, the school resource officer who rushed to the scene and arrested the defendant. Jared Smith was Dr. Crosby, the assistant principal who the defense argues has pressured the teachers to improve their test scores to the degree that a “school-to-prison-pipeline” has been created.
The second round of competition will take place on March 8 with Caz taking the side of the Defendant against Westhill High School.
Remaining team members include: Nick Barna; Shea Flannery; Madeline Gavitt; Glen Hartley; Will Huftalen; Robbie Liddell; BrierMae Ossant; Eva Salzman; Mackenzie Yates. A bare-bones six-person team will have to go it alone in the next round as the rest of the team will be performing in the school musical.
