Students met in small groups for about an hour each day to discuss the trial. Prominent Des Moines lawyers volunteered to lead the groups. Lovell compared this experience to medical students not having contact with a patient for their first few years of school. The human side of attachment is totally missing. This responds directly to that criticism.
Students see directly whose life and liberty is at stake.
In addition to that, we were able to speak with the attorneys after the trial. That gave me better insight into the process. I feel that I have a better grasp on what criminal proceedings are like, and that is definitely what I want to do when I graduate. It just cemented that idea into my brain. The choice between getting someone off who could be guilty or convicting someone who could be innocent is one that I do not want to make.