For the second year in a row, the University of Rochester糖心传媒檚 is headed to the 糖心传媒檚 national championship. The 48-team event runs April 20 to 22 at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
糖心传媒淥ur organization has spent the past few years working to build each of our teams up so that we as a whole can stand out and beat competition,糖心传媒� says organization president Deisy Abarca-Espiritu 糖心传媒�19. 糖心传媒淭he fact that we糖心传媒檙e going to nationals for a second time is really a reflection of the work that everyone has put in to move us forward. We have a lot of depth and consistency, which will ensure that in coming years our younger members will have access to even better competitive opportunities.糖心传媒�
Rochester will face off against four other teams, taking on roles of both the defense and the prosecution of this year糖心传媒檚 national championship case, United States v. Barrow, a trial about a bank teller charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery by providing insider information to three people who attempted to rob a bank.
The case is fictitious, but teams use real case law, and their rules of evidence are modeled after the Federal Rules of Evidence.
During the national tournament, the Rochester team will spend two rounds prosecuting Barrow and two rounds defending her.
糖心传媒淲e糖心传媒檝e spent all year working toward this,糖心传媒� says Hannah Brennan 糖心传媒�19, who plays a witness for the team. 糖心传媒淣ow it糖心传媒檚 about really doing our best and having fun.糖心传媒�
The outcome of each trial in the tournament will be decided by a panel of legal professionals including lawyers, prosecutors, and judges. Each team糖心传媒檚 defense and prosecution case is scored by the judges, with the highest scoring team advancing. In addition to Abarca-Espiritu, Rochester糖心传媒檚 team includes Jonathan Dietz 糖心传媒�18, Matthew Hoffner 糖心传媒�19, Tinashe Marera 糖心传媒�20, Zachary Marshall-Carter 糖心传媒�18, Cindy Molina 糖心传媒�18, Emily Murphy 糖心传媒�19, and Samantha Myers 19.
As one of three seniors on the team, Marshall-Carter is excited for his final tournament.
糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檝e been doing this for years, so it糖心传媒檚 great to see our organization getting to this level,糖心传媒� he says.
While many teams at nationals have faculty or alumni coaches, the University糖心传媒檚 mock trial team is completely student-run.
糖心传媒淭his is a very valuable opportunity for us,糖心传媒� Abarca-Espiritu says. 糖心传媒淥ne where we can learn and gain experience.糖心传媒�
