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| Video: 8th Graders at Lowville Academy Participate in Mock Jury Selection in Lewis County Court 12/13/18 05:30pm By: Nick Altmire |
of Dianna Cooper and Courtney McCreadie, were provided the opportunity to learn about our criminal justice system firsthand on Wednesday, with a trip over to Lewis County Court. The three classes each individually participated in a mock jury selection, grasping a better understanding of how the process works. The experience comes as the students are reading Twelve Angry Men, a courtroom drama written by Reginald Rose focusing on the jury of a homicide trial. The courtroom resembled an official proceeding, with the Honorable Daniel R. King presiding, Assistant District Attorney Mark Lemieux prosecuting, and defense attorney Gary Miles representing the defendant. Chief Court Clerk Deborah Earl and court security staff also participated in the sessions. The students were presented with a mock scenario, where one of the students had been "arrested" on a felony grand larceny charge after being accused of stealing his brother's X-box and accessories, valued at over $1,000. Judge King informed the students that felony cases are generally heard in county court, with every defendant having the right to a jury trial. Judge King stressed that every defendant is "shrouded in the presumption of innocence," and has no burden to prove their innocence. The burden, he explained, lies with the prosecution to prove the defendant's guilt, beyond a reasonable doubt. Students then learned the process of how a jury is selected, with some of the students chosen as "jurors" and others assisting the attorneys. The attorneys then questioned the "potential jurors", with Judge King explaining circumstances that could prevent someone from serving on a jury. After the mock jury was seated, attorneys presented their case and then the "jury" was taken to the jury room for "deliberations", ultimately delivering a not guilty verdict on the first vote. The students left with a better understanding of how our criminal justice system works in the United States. "It was a good experience," student Brendan Hamburg, who played the "defendant" in the scenario, said afterward, joking he wasn't sure if he'd end up behind bars. (Brendan's dad, Tod, is a security guard with NYS Unified Courts in Lewis County, escorting him into the courtroom in the video.) Our full video from one of the sessions is included below. We encourage anyone who has not yet been called for jury duty to watch, for a great overview on the entire process. Our thanks go out to Judge King and Lowville Academy, for allowing us to film the session to share with the community! |
