write a 10 question cross examination pretending that im ms. swanson in the following story: Criminal Mock Trial
District Court
State )
Prosecution )
)
v. )
)
Alli )
Defendant )
Issue:
Did the marijuana in
Alli’s backpack belong
to her?
Defense:
Alli purchased the
backpack from people
who had been known
to use marijuana in
the past. Alli claims
the marijuana must
have been placed in
the backpack before
she purchased it and
that she knows nothing
about it.
Mini-Mock Trial ManualStudent Handout
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli: introduction
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Mr. Tilman, Private investigator
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli
Prosecution Witness Statement
i have been a private investigator for ten years. Before that, i was a police officer for seven
years. in the last five years, i have worked with many schools in trying to solve the drug
problems. i recommended to the administrators at Jackson School to start searching the
lockers and student belongings. i believe this helps to reduce the drug use in the schools.
on april 22, i was searching ten students’ lockers and belongings. When i reached alli’s
backpack, i found a small amount of marijuana in a zippered compartment in the inside of the
backpack. it was a good place to hide the marijuana, because the inside compartment is hard
to see and i almost missed it. i asked alli if the marijuana was hers. She said she didn’t know
anything about the stuff. She was very embarrassed.
Matt, classmate
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli
Prosecution Witness Statement
i was one of the ten students in the search. Mr. Tilman went through my locker and my
backpack before he searched alli’s things. i was standing next to alli. She seemed nervous when
Mr. Tilman started the search. i saw Mr. Tilman pull the marijuana out of alli’s backpack. She
said “oh no!’ and then said she didn’t know anything about it.
i have been going to school with alli since i moved to this city four years ago. as far as i know,
alli has never been in trouble. She has a few friends who get into trouble, but she’s a good kid.
Sandy, Science Partner
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli
Prosecution Witness Statement
i am alli’s science partner. We do all of our experiments together. recently, alli hasn’t been completing
her parts of the assignments. She blames it on all of the other school activities she is involved in.
i think she has some other problems. She seems confused when she is in class. in fact, last week,
she made some mistakes in a chemistry experiment which caused a small explosion. no one was
hurt and there was no danger, but i was pretty scared. alli and i have been friends for a long time.
Mini-Mock Trial ManualStudent Handout
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli: Prosecution’s Witness Statements
www.teachingcivics.org Learning Law and Democracy Foundation Permission to reprint for classroom use granted. 45
Alli, Defendant
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli
Defense Witness Statement
i know nothing about the marijuana that was found in my backpack on april 22. i purchased the
backpack at a garage sale on Saturday, april 19. The sale was at the house of a group of adults
who have lived there since they graduated from college in 1976. i went to the sale with my
cousin, rob, who lives next door to the house. The backpack was in good shape, and very cheap,
so i bought it. i never dreamed it would get me into this much trouble.
i am a good kid. i have never been in trouble before, except for being asked to leave class
because i was talking too much. i am involved in lots of extra activities. i am on the dance
line, play clarinet in the band, and am a member of the girls track team. i work part time at a
neighborhood grocery store.
Rob, alli’s cousin
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli
Defense Witness Statement
i was with alli when she bought the backpack. We found it at a garage sale next door to my house.
The house is owned by a bunch of adults who used to be “hippies.” i remember when they had
lots of very loud parties that would end when the police came to break them up. once my mom
helped one of the men fix the lawnmower and they offered her some marijuana as a thank you.
My cousin never gets into trouble. She doesn’t use drugs.
Ms. Swanson, Band Director
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli
Defense Witness Statement
i am the band director. i have had alli in my music class and in the band for several years. She is
very talented and hard working. She spends much of her free time practicing with a few of the
other students. i have noticed recently that she seems a bit distracted, but that’s normal in the
spring. i don’t think alli uses drugs.
Mini-Mock Trial ManualStudent Handout
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli: Defense’s Witness Statements
www.teachingcivics.org Learning Law and Democracy Foundation Permission to reprint for classroom use granted. 46
Mini-Mock Trial ManualStudent Handout
Mini-Mock Trial State v. Alli: Jury instructions
After Evidence Is Presented
Members of the jury, you have heard all of the testimony concerning this
case. it is now up to you to determine the facts. You, and you alone, are the
judges of the facts. You will then have to apply the facts to the law as i give
it to you.
The prosecution must set out such a convincing case against the defendant
that the jury believes “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the defendant
is guilty.
The Law
It is a petty misdemeanor to
possess or give away a small
amount of marijuana. The
law defines a small amount
of marijuana as 42.5 grams
(approximately 1.5 ounces)
or less. For the first offense,
the court may fine the person
up to $300 and require him
or her to participate in a drug
rehabilitation program