Santiago High School’s Mock Trial team has just completed a successful competition season. Mock Trial is a competitive club in which students are trained to fulfill roles such as: witnesses, prosecution attorneys, defense attorneys, bailiffs, and also clerks in order to put on a trial case.
The defense attorneys, led by Club President Hadassa Jakher (12), and the prosecuting attorneys, headed by Captain Kellie Carlson (12), led the team as they competed against other schools at the Riverside County Courthouse. The trials that the team defends or prosecutes can range from theft to murder; the 2014 case involves murder in the second degree and possession with intent to sell a controlled substance.
“Mock Trial is great for public speaking; it builds confidence and involves acting. Learning to defend the law gives you a different thought process and helps you look at the world in a different way,” said Jakher.
The team prepared for the season with weekly practices and had scrimmages from October-February, beginning official matches in February. Matches took place on Wednesdays, and the final match to determine if they would move forward to the Elite Eight Competition was on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014.
Although Santiago did not qualify for the 2014 Elite Eight Round, they finished off a successful season as the top team from the 2-2 bracket.
“I am very proud of the team. They worked well with each other and really showed what they could do. Their final performance was outstanding!,” said Club Advisor Paula Tilton.
As the first quarter of second semester draws to a close, the future of Mock Trial will be determined with officer elections next week. Though the dedicated seniors of the club will be missed, they feel confident in the future of Mock Trial.
