Assignment Task:
If you're a member of the Prosecution, you will write 300 words or more for your journal, laying out the best evidence to convict William Bradfield. If you are Defense, write 300 more words laying out the best evidence to find him innocent. If you are on team Jury, you will do 300 words on each (600 total). Present your case as an extended argument; convincing yourself (and your classmates) why whatever you believe is the objective truth.
Below is an optional set of instructions/prompts to help you build and organize your cases for the journal and best practices, such as Prosecution offering discovery to the Defense.
Pre-Trial Journal Prompt for the Prosecution:
1. Evidence Analysis (Pages 154-183):
o Read the relevant pages of the text and identify the following:
o What key pieces of evidence/witnesses from these pages are most crucial to your case? List and explain why they are important to proving the defendant's guilt.
o Are there any potential weaknesses/counterarguments related to the evidence that you need to address preemptively? Need Assignment Help?
o Identify any connections between pieces of evidence/witnesses that could strengthen your argument or create a narrative thread for the jury.
o You must email a copy of this called "discovery" to the defense attorneys a week before the trial.
2. Building Your Argument:
o How will you introduce the case and engage the jury's attention? Think about how to establish the facts clearly and persuasively from the outset.
o What points do you intend to make to convince the jury of the defendant's guilt? Outline them in a logical sequence.
o Ensure each point logically leads to the next. How can you make sure your argument is cohesive and flows naturally as you walk the jury through the evidence?
o For example, you should establish that a crime was committed before arguing there was a conspiracy and only after that what part the accused played in that conspiracy.
3. Rhetorical Strategy:
o What rhetorical devices will you use to persuade the jury? Consider ethos, pathos, and logos, and how each can strengthen your argument. Ethos focuses on the speaker's credibility, pathos appeals to emotions, and logos relies on logic and reason.
o Consider how you will respond to any potential rebuttals or defenses raised by the opposing side.
4. Required Writing:
o Write your opening statement, you'll read this aloud at the Mock Trial.
o Determine who will be called and what questions you'll ask each witness.
o Write your closing statement, you'll read this aloud at the Mock Trial.
Pre-Trial Journal Prompt for the Defense:
1. Evidence Analysis (Pages 154-183):
o Read the relevant pages of the text and identify the following:
o What traces make good evidence in the case? What evidence/witnesses might support your argument that the defendant is innocent, or what can you use to cast doubt on the prosecution's case?
o Receive and read the prosecution's discovery. Review the prosecution's case as detailed in their discovery. Are there any pieces of evidence you can discredit or reinterpret? How will you challenge the reliability or credibility of the evidence presented?
o What inconsistencies or gaps in the evidence can you highlight to weaken the prosecution's argument?
2. Building Your Argument:
o How will you open your defense to the jury? Think about how to introduce the idea that reasonable doubt exists.
o What are the primary points you need to make to show the defendant's innocence or cast doubt on their guilt? Structure these points logically.
o How will you ensure your argument flows clearly, with each point supporting the next and culminating in a strong conclusion?
3. Rhetorical Strategy:
o How will you use rhetoric to create empathy for the defendant and engage the jury emotionally? What tone will you adopt to convey sincerity and credibility?
o How can you use ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade the jury of your argument's merit? Ethos focuses on the speaker's credibility, pathos appeals to emotions, and logos relies on logic and reason.
o What preemptive counterarguments can you anticipate from the prosecution, and how will you respond to them?
4. Required Writing:
o Write your opening statement, you'll read this aloud at the Mock Trial.
o Determine who will be called and what questions you'll ask each witness.
o Write your closing statement, you'll read this aloud at the Mock Trial.
Yuzu Reader: Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict