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Two of Lafayette’s mock trial teams won awards at the Yale Invitational Mock Trial Tournament held at Yale University Dec. 1-2. Two members of the third team also received individual awards.
The Yale tournament is the largest mock trial event in the country, hosting 70 teams from 34 colleges and universities nationwide. Because of the tournament’s size, schools were grouped into two divisions. Lafayette was placed in a division of more competitive schools, including Boston University, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania, and Villanova University.
Lafayette’s first and second teams placed in the division’s top 10.
Team one consists of captain David Myers ’07 (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), a double major in history and government & law; Andrew Fagal ’07 (Skaneateles, N.Y.), a history and economics & business double major; Theresa Giamanco ’07 (Oak Ridge, N.J.), a philosophy and government & law double major; Adel Lomibao ’08 (Easton, Pa.), a chemistry and mathematics double major; Christopher McGuinn ’07 (Pittsburgh, Pa.), a government and law major; Ryan Osterweil ’08 (Forest Hills, N.Y.), a chemistry major; and Trustee Scholar Margaret Schierberl ’10 (West Hartford, Conn.).
Team two includes captain Christina Chen ’07 (Sinking Spring, Pa.), a history and government and law major; Sarah Bruno ’08 (Wilkes Barre, Pa.), an American studies and government & law double major; Marquis Scholar Jeffrey Beavan ’09 (Nazareth, Pa.), who is pursuinga B.S. civil engineering and A.B. with a major in economics and business; Marquis Scholar Karen Fusco ’09 (Albrightsville, Pa.); Jennifer Gorchow ’07 (Cherry Hill, N.J.), an economics and business major; Daniel Reynolds ’08 (Randolph, N.J.), an English major; and Lisa Van Batavia ’08 (Dobbs Ferry, N.J.), a government & law and anthropology & sociology double major.
History major Adam Pie ’09 (Doylestown, Pa.) and Trustee Scholar Carolyn Fast ’10 (Rockaway, N.J.), both members of the third team, earned individual awards for outstanding performances as a defense attorney and defense witness, respectively.
This year’s case is Sean Jeffries, et. al. v. Polk County Police Department. It is a civil rights claim brought by the parents of a teenager named Max Jeffries, who was shot by Officer Jamie Conmey because he fit a general description of a robbery suspect. Jeffries is in a coma, and Conmey committed suicide shortly after shooting Jeffries, raising questions about his mental health at the time of the shooting. Alleging that the officer deprived their son of due process, the parents are suing the entire police department.
Pie, who also portrays a witness for the plaintiff side, received an Outstanding Attorney award for his role on the defense. He plans to use his success at the Yale event to improve his own performance and help his team climb up the standings.
“I was quite surprised when hearing I won a best attorney award, as I was not expecting [it],” he says. “I was very pleased with my performance at Yale, but understand there is still room to improve. It is my hope that our team can build on the experience we gained at both Penn’s invitational and Yale’s invitational to put on an even better performance in the remaining [tournaments], but more importantly at the regional Lafayette is hosting in February.”
Fast’s Outstanding Witness award makes this event the second time she has received that honor for her portrayal of fictitious character Police Chief Julia Polson for the defense. The defense position is that Polson was following department policy. Fast received the same honor at the season’s first invitational hosted by University of Pennsylvania.
“It was really exciting to win another award because I felt that everyone had stepped up their game at this competition,” she says. “We went up against some really good teams and I felt all of our witnesses did a great job. I’m proud of my team’s performance in this competition. I think we continue to get better every time. The people on the mock trial team are what make this such a great experience for me.”
The teams are coached by Diane Elliott ’74, director for public service at the Robert B. and Helen S. Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government, and Carmela Karns, administrative assistant.
The teams will travel to Cornell University for their next competition Jan. 27-28, 2007.
Lafayette will host the Colonial Regional tournament Feb. 16-18, 2007. The College will host 26 teams from nine colleges and universities, including DeSales University, Georgetown University, University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, and Villanova University. Winners at this tournament will earn spots in the national tournament to be held March 16-18, 2007 at Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minn.