Defense Wins in Mock Trial

Two teams recently completed the second annual mock trial last month that gave probationers a hands-on look into the trial process. Organized by defense attorneys who also coach the youth, the annual mock trial program is a collaborative effort between the San Bernardino County Probation Department and the San Bernardino County Public Defender's Office. Two teams comprised of young members involved in the Gateway Program - a 12- to 18-month program that helps prepare youth to return to the community - at the Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center (CVJDAC) compete against each other inside the detention facility. The youth are coached by defense attorneys through the entire court experience, from pretrial preparation through the trial phase. Samra Roth, a deputy public defender, wrote in a newsletter article following the first mock trial in 2014, "These are students who are genuinely interested in the process for more than just academic reasons. They have firsthand experience with legal system and they really care about learning their rights... These boys were really interested in learning how a criminal case is put together, and the more they learned, the more they enjoyed it.” During the mock trial program, one team represents the defense and the other team acts as the prosecution. Each of the participants are assigned roles, including the defendant, attorneys, witnesses, a bailiff and a sketch artist, and given case material to study. During the mock trial preparation process, volunteer coaches from the public defender's office worked with the youth for one hour twice a week during practice times. Roth added, "These are kids who probably never had a chance to compete in an academic setting. They have never been in a situation where they have had to study written material, analyze it, and make it their own. They have never had to verbally defend their ideas in public in a professional manner.” On the day of the trial, the public defender's office provided dress shirts and ties for the youth to wear, and they performed in front of their peers, probation corrections officers and attorneys. During the mock trial, they delivered opening and closing statements, gave testimony and presented evidence to Presiding Judge Marsha Slough of the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. In this trial, Judge Slough made her ruling in favor of the defense.