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Lafayette’s mock trial team is off to a good start with three students earning top prizes at the team’s first invitational tournament held Nov. 10-11 at the University of Pennsylvania.
About 30 colleges and universities competed in the event, including Princeton University, George Washington University, Cornell University, Georgetown University, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Villanova University.
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.
David Myers ’07 (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), a double major in history and government & law, won an Outstanding Attorney award for receiving a perfect score of 20 on the plaintiff side and a score of 17 on the defense side. He tied with another student from George Washington, who also received a perfect score, for top attorney of the entire tournament.
“I am honored and very excited to have received the first perfect score of my mock trial career,” says Myers, who plans to attend law school next year. “There were many great teams at this tournament, including several top national teams, and to be recognized as the tournament’s top attorney is an enormous honor. I look forward to continuing to work hard at this year’s case and at perfecting my performance.”
Sarah Bruno ’08 (Wilkes Barre, Pa.), a double major in American studies and government & law, also won an Outstanding Attorney award for receiving a score of 19 on the plaintiff side. Bruno started out as a witness during her first year on the team and took on the role of attorney when another student withdrew from a tournament.
“It is very gratifying to win an attorney award,” she says. “There is so much time and effort that goes into preparing the case for the different invitationals. Receiving an award lets me know that other people can see the effort I have put into the role. This is the first attorney award I have received and it makes me want to work harder for the team. I know I couldn’t have gotten the award without the help of my teammates. We have a certain dynamic together that seems to compliment everyone’s individual talents.”
Trustee Scholar Carolyn Fast ’10 (Rockaway, N.J.) earned an Outstanding Witness award for her portrayal of fictional character Police Chief Julia Polson for the defense. The defense position is that Polson was following department policy.
Fast also portrays Dr. Dana Haskins for the plaintiff, the county psychologist who evaluated Officer Conmey and determined he was suffering from a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and decided he should receive a leave of absence.
“I love playing witnesses,” says Fast. “It is often difficult to be cross-examined by the opposing counsel because I never know exactly what they are going to ask, and I have to be quick on my feet and know every detail of my character and my character’s actions. I also have to be able to answer the questions in a way that helps my side’s case and hurts the other side, but I can’t lie or make facts up. I think one of the things that helped me was that Chief Polson is a very difficult character to play, especially when being cross-examined, and I held up very well under the pressure.”
This year, Lafayette has three teams that compete at tournaments.
Joining Myers on the first team are 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.).
In addition to Bruno, the second team consists of Christina Chen ’07 (Sinking Spring, Pa.), a history and government and law 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.
With Fast on the third team are TarynAnn Barry ’09 (Bridgewater, N.J.), a history and government and law major; Marquis Scholar Stephen Hornstein ’09 (North Potomac, Md.), an economics and business major; Jared Kreiger ’09 (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), a government and law major; Tiffany Patafio ’10 (Staten Island, N.Y.); Adam Pie ’09 (Doylestown, Pa.), a history major; and Matthew Pisciotta ’09 (Lynbrook, N.Y.), a government and law major.
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 Yale University for the largest invitational on the East coast Dec. 1-2. They will also compete at Cornell University Jan. 27-28, 2007.
Lafayette was asked by the American Mock Trial Association to host the Colonial Regional tournament Feb. 16-18, 2007. A maximum of 24 colleges and universities will participate. 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.