July 26, 2022 • 62 mins
Adria is a fan of the philosopher Nick Saban, the decorated coach of the Alabama football team. She and Judge Kern Reese want their team to stay focused, be clear and concise. Tight. She sends her team to an invitational in Houston to see who is ready for the big time in the spring. The results are mixed. Back home in New Orleans, the team rallies and punches their ticket to the Regional Championship.
Learn more about the schools, programs and special guests:
Dillard University Pre-Law Program
American Mock Trial Association
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Visit our show page for transcripts and more details about the series at ClassActionPod.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Class Action is a production of I Heart Radio and
Sound Argument. Dillard University is about to embark on an
exhausting run of three competitions and the request to punch
their ticket to the national tournament. It's the same old
arson case. A bar called Chuggyes is torched, a firefighter dies,
(00:22):
and the owner tries to collect the insurance money. Coach
Adrea kimbro In students a Maya Ronsick, DeAndre Bell, la
A Shelton, and Caitlin Douglas narrate this story. This is
episode nine, Survive and Advance. Okay, there's this, um, I
(00:47):
think this chance. Um, I think people who were on
my team for Houston. Remember I pulled you outside. I
made you'll do this chance about about this team. So
I just wanted to repeat after me and keep the
beat like I know we can't. Okay, just repeat after me.
It's a very simple, repeat after me. This team, best team,
(01:09):
This team is the best team, this team, this strong team,
this team, this strong team. Strong. Love my team, my team,
Love my team team, Love my team. Hello, my team,
Hello my team. He love my team. You'll come on you.
(01:57):
So the season is still shaping up for us. We
have commitments already at competitions. UM one will be the
University of Alabama, Pace University in New York, the University
of Houston, which is a great competition. Yes, it's my
(02:23):
cousin's house. When I knew was Houston and I was
new is this week, I was like, Yes, we're gonna
we're gonna eat good food. One of these days, we're
gonna have some good homely food with my family and
we're gonna have fun made you doesn't California much like Arizona.
So so today is going well. Um, we are having
(02:47):
an opportunity to test some things out. Um also having
an opportunity to give some of our remembers a chance
to get more experience. So I hate to say it
like this, but it's almost like a vlosity j V
(03:07):
model that happens in the screen when you put your
very bens, your your best experienced talented people all on
one team, almost like a warrior class if you will,
I can all star team. Because you want to give
yourself the best shot to make it to the championships.
Some of our lesser experienced people are going to be
(03:28):
on the team by themselves in the screen, so they're
not gonna have you know, the a Maya's lagenis the
deandres with them to kind of help hold them up. Alright,
defense first, first of you, like Toss, I'll be playing
(04:00):
the role of a witness. Um specifically for this round,
I'll be Scotlet Dejon. Um. It's gonna be an interesting
witness because we're trying out a new theory and we
are contending that somebody else did it, that somebody being me,
and so I have to play it off like I
didn't do it, but I really know what happened. But
it's gonna be fun. I'm excited. Um, good morning. Everyone
(04:23):
in My name is Scotlet dejon Well at heart, I
am at that and I could play Minia roles. I
could be happy, I can be said, I can be
hoholier than now, and of course I can get a
little evil to you know, not at all, absolutely. I
mean she made bad business decisions, including what she did
(04:44):
to me. Um. The renovations were terrible. Everything that Dakoda
did really messed things up. And like you said, prior
to you saw her walking to the firehouse. Yes, and
that's what made you certain that it was missul f
At You well, I know for in fact it was her.
I mean it was her, are her business. She would
be the only one there at the time, with the
exception of me, because you know I know how to
(05:05):
move around. That's exactly right, Mr j. Young. You know
it was her because she's the only firefighter that you know.
I just connected to Chucky's and the firehouse. Well, I
wouldn't say the firefighting part was really what gave me
the ammunition I needed to know that it was her.
But like I said, when I followed her to the building,
followed her out of the building, that kind of thing
I made sense. Yes, I was able to tell that
(05:27):
she was a firefighter. My name is Audrey. About the
last room, I feel really confident about the last time
was amazing. You know that thank you, thank you, you know,
like it was I'm being so serious. The judges comments,
didn't know, just like he said, some good stuff. But
like I'm very proud of your clothing you thank you,
thank you. I try to think y'all, the amount of
(05:48):
improvement you've shown since like the very first time you
gave a clothing, Like when I say exponential, Like no,
the way you told the story, like I saw you
make the adjudgments that I suggested last night, and it
was it was, it was well done. Thank you. Okay.
I know earlier I said I was really nervous to
the point of crime. But like after I went through
(06:09):
my first direct I know, I know, it was my
first cross, I was like so excited, like I felt
so comfortable, and I was like, I'm ready to do
it again. The Annihilat, Yes, we've given her a line name.
This is the Annihilator speaking because of Katrina. Like, some
(06:30):
of my best friends in Houston are from New Orleans,
and you know, we see a lot of New Orleans
elements and a lot of things that people in Houston
do because so much of Houston's population are people who
were displaced, you know, from New Orleans. So my dad
is the founding minister of the pastor at Joy Cathedral
(06:51):
UM in Houston, Texas. You know, people already know who
he is, especially in the church. Everyone knows who he is. Yeah, yeah, yes,
they're here. Good morning, day being well aboutself. DeAndre bell Is,
(07:13):
My name is Jason, Nice to meet you. Good morning,
DeAndre bell Is. My name sir. Come on in, thank you, yes, sir. Uh,
Let's walk through Uh. Through the kitchen. We have to
make shift. Excuse me, just follow me with make shifts.
Since we're still in the COVID environment. I still don't
feel comfortable, uh, meeting face to face. I shot at
(07:37):
ten fifty nine, and we're normally done by eleven. My
wife will start playing behind the curtain, and then my
son and my daughter will give me directions on time
and we'll ahead records play and that's it. What time
is it? Okay, okay, see the gonna lie. I will
(08:12):
bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually
be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast
in the Lord. The umble shall hear that rove and
be glad, old magnified. The Lord with me, and let
us exalt his name together. We're grateful and thankful to
God that he has allowed us this another day, another hour,
(08:33):
another privilege, and another opportunity. Then we might gather before
his presence to call upon His holy and righteous name.
I'm grateful and thankful to God. We were still in
our first home, and so DeAndre was two years old.
He grabs a microphone and he starts screaming, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
(08:53):
and his mother says, DeAndre, you're going to be hoarse.
So he screams, and he's preaching. And because he was
screaming Jesus so much, he lost his voice. He put
his microphone down, drank out of his sippy cup, then
put the sippy cup down, picked his microphone back up,
and he started continuing. Yes, he's always been very intelligent.
(09:19):
We call him wise beyond his years, just because if
you hold a conversation with him, even I will have
to tell him, okay, dumb that down a little bit.
You know, use layman terms with me. I'm your momma,
use layman terms and so. But he's always been been
that kid. DeAndre is just he's just always a character.
He's always been a character. My head, I hear music.
(09:43):
Over my head, I hear music. There must be a
God somewhere. And even if your instrument has gotten down
to only one string, if you can still make music,
you can still red joice because of what God has
done for you. Granted, brothers and sisters, our lives may
(10:04):
not line up with the direction that we think they
should line up, but all in all, you and I
should be able to rejoice that God has given us
another chance to get it right. He wanted to be
a lawyer. My dad wanted to go to law school,
and he was called to preach instead. And it was
crazy because over the past summer, he said, DeAndre, it's
(10:28):
amazing to me how I couldn't do what I wanted
to do. But God has led you to do the thing,
the kind of things that I want to do. And
not only that, you've been led to not only be
a lawyer, but to preach as well. So now you
are doing two fold the things that I am doing.
You know, Father God, You've given each of us a
(10:50):
distinct and succinct talent. Father God, You've given us each
an element of this case that we can argue to
the best of our ability. So we thank you for
the God. We thank you for the objections, the rules
of evidence, the case, the witnesses, the attorneys, the the openings,
the closings that directs the cross as we thank you,
Father God, for putting these words in our minds and
(11:12):
our hearts and in our souls. Father God, so that
we may not only show them who we are, but
show them who you are. Father God, you have made
this team all that it is, Father God, And so
we thank you once more, Father God. If there's anything
I forget to ask, please don't neglect an answering for
is in your dollar's son Jesus name, We pray Amen.
(11:47):
So today we're celebrating the University of Home Comedy Parade,
and so we're all excited about this our first parass
from the season. When I say season of the last
two years, you know, because of to COVID everything was canceled.
So we have a big parade and celebrating the coming
back of Gentillion, coming back to the city of New
Orleans and all the kids coming in. Yes, the WiFi
(12:35):
pass were the same with the app sign and we're
definitely still practicing. Is that to adjust because of home
Coming week events, So we're having an extended three hour
practice tonight, so we're still doing the work. This weekend
(12:57):
is our Regionals tournament. Unfortunately was put online due to
COVID nineteen. But um, this is the tournament that decides
like if our season is over and not basically if
we make it past this will go to like Nationals
and stuff like that. I'm kind of bummed because I
really wish you would have been in person, but it
is a lot of pressure now because like this is
(13:18):
my last shot at it. She's gonna switch out with you. Okay,
like you know how on defense, you're on your on
defense and Taylor, so can Taylor use yours? Yeah? I
thought no, which to DeAndre? Please tell me you got
the own flock computer? Okay, where's I Let me put
(13:43):
it together. We are putting together ring lights so that
we can have good lighting for the competition. I'm excited
because we're ready to We're ready to kick some behind.
Can someone test grain sharing please? That's it. The defense
(14:04):
is ready to procede your honor first, and are I
would like to acknowledge that Dakota Settler is constructively present
throughout trial today and it's constructively wearing a red tie. Second.
Here on, I'm entering a character events form which both
parties have signed on the chat. In terms of the
(14:25):
level of experience collectively, this is the most experienced team
that we've had, and so um, this is our very
best chance to make it back to the championship, and
I like our chances. I was talking to some of
them even today. I was like, well, it's our last rodeo,
like this, this is it, and um, I would very
(14:49):
much like for them to experience that joy. I mean,
you think about you do all of this work, this
all this excitement around you know, a piece of plastic essentially,
this trophy that you get, but it represents so much
more than that, particularly for those students who have been
on this team all four years of their college experience.
(15:10):
It represents such a huge part of their deal and experience.
They've invested a lot of time, energy, and effort in
an activity that they get no academic credit for, they
don't get paid for. They've invested a tremendous amount, and
I would just love for them to be able to
have the experience of making it too the championship before
(15:31):
they leave here. So I'm a senior. I'm actually applying
to law school right now. I made this document when
I was nineteen years old. I'm twenty one now. Before
they were like maybe eighty schools on here, and I've
researched every single one until I was able to narrow
(15:52):
it down to fifteen. Okay, So in this document, I've
listed the institution, the rank of the institution. It was
in portant to me that I had some institutions that
could take me anywhere I wanted to go, and then
I have these schools in green because my pre law
advisor thought that I should look into them to see
my chances of getting a full right scholarship. So that's
why I have those highlighted. But as far as the
(16:14):
schools that I'm applying to UM in one category, as
far as where I think I could get the most
money is FORDAM Texas A and M Northeastern University of Miami, St.
John's and Howard. All of those have great financial aid
programs based on my score, and they also have UM
a wide variety of individuals that look like me. I
(16:35):
think the diversity is great at the schools. They have
great clinics, and I would be happy going to either
of them. N YU actually has this great clinic UM
by Brian Stevenson who who runs it, and they do
a lot of death penalty work capital punishment cases. And
after reading his book Just Mercy and realizing how how
(16:56):
we treat people involved in the chrominal justice system, specifically
those who were even the death penalty or on death
row UM, I was really able to connect with it
and not only see the humanity and the people that
he was talking about, but I wanted to introduce that
concept into the legal field. Even though there are empathetic lawyers,
I don't think there are enough. People always say, UM, well,
(17:17):
how can you defend these types of people or these
types of people deserve this? And it's really not that simple,
So UM, I would love to learn more from him.
UM and plus n y U s I think the
highest ranked criminal law program in the country. So as
far as the schools that I think can open the
most doors, those are gonna be Harvard, Columbia, Chicago, n
(17:38):
y U, Georgetown, U T Austin, Boston University, University of
Southern California, and Emery. All of those schools have been
to rank very highly when it comes to placing students
in federal clerkships after after law school, which is a
big deal. That's something that I'm interested in and I
want the door to be open for me if I
decided to walk through it. But my personal statement is
(17:59):
mainly about a time in my life where I felt
um that my voice wasn't being heard or that I
was suppressing my feelings, and how through mock trial I
was able to not only find my voice but realize
what I wanted to do. Now that I regained it,
I'm gonna trying to find a good part. Okay, here's
one paragraph I can read. That same day, I signed
(18:22):
up for something called mock trial, thinking I would learn
a few things about speaking effectively. I began sitting in
the backup practices and watching the student lawyers argue their cases.
My coaches didn't let that fly for too long. They
insisted I lead strategy discussions and present every side of
the case until I knew the facts of the story
like it were my own. The courtroom became the place
where I felt the most comfortable. I learned that being
(18:44):
a litigator isn't about the objections you make or how
smart you sound. It's about the stories you tell. Usually
le how long was yours? And start praying music. I
(19:11):
think that's what she's trying to can I can catch
a beat. I can catch a beat, But staying on it,
that's another story. I feel like a lot of guys
in this setup right now, I do that. Okay, I'm
gonna try to do this without crying. No. I was
just telling Ms Friesen and some others that my freshman
year on the team, I just remember being super nervous
(19:35):
and just wanted to cry because I just didn't think
I was ready, And then the tears that I have
today is not from that place. I'm not anxious at all.
I'm excited, and I'm proud of each and every one
of y'all and the growth that I've seen on the team.
Like I'm not even I'm here to show up one
last time for you guys at regionals. But no, I
know that it's been stressful. There's been tension on the team.
(19:58):
There's been you know, times or some us wanted to
quit and I didn't. I didn't mean to look at
nobody in particularly, but you know, I'm just really excited
for where you guys are at right now, and I
can't wait to come back and be able to judge
one of y'all's rounds and and just to see how
far y'all have come. Oh Okay, that's it. That's it.
(20:20):
Let's let's go in there and kick. But let's just
win and do what we came here to do. Period. Hello,
(20:45):
your honor, my name is Amya Ronsic, and alongside my
co council DeAndre Cabell, the Second, Hello you, and Renee
sime In. Hello your honor, we probably represent the Code
Sutcliffe in this matter. And you don't know what debris
or evidence they moved away from Jalen And no, I'm
not aware I was outside. And you also didn't interview
(21:07):
these officers after your investigation, did you. No, you also
didn't require them to write a report about what debris
was removed. Relevance and Michael pet was a tragic objection
yard into facts not in evidence or testifying to facts
not in evidence. You explain your objection, Yes, your honor
opposing counsel is eliciting information, hearsay information from an article
(21:31):
that has not yet been entered. Okay, I gotta get
ready to help him turn off the lights. I'm gonna
stand in my spot. Do you want him to get
on yours? Okay? Do the tester DeAndre come back in
the room in the back of the room. Um, I
(21:51):
have to switch the lights off. Um. DeAndre has a
little demonstra if he does. Um for his closing. Because
the whole contention is that the witnesses they bought to
make an identification possibly couldn't have made it because they
claimed somebody in a black in all black with a
black hoodie pulled up at a three or fourth angle
(22:14):
with the lights off is obviously this person. So he's
gonna go fifty feet away with a black countee on it,
We're gonna turn the lights off. Very much as a
Hail Mary, your honor, opposing counsel members of the jury,
(22:35):
at the beginning of today's trial, you heard my co
counsel come before you and tell you that the prosecution
did not wait for the smoke to clear. And now
by the end of trial you've seen that before the Chuggy,
the smoke of the Chuggy's fire was able to dissipate,
before a clear picture of what actually happened on July
(22:57):
was made prevalent, before thorough investigation was completed, the prosecution
rushed to try and convict my client the code of
Sutcliffe of aggravated arsent. And so don't believe it wait
for the smoke too clear, because had the prosecution waited
(23:19):
for the smoke to clear, they would have understood that
a figure standing not five, not ten, not fifteen, not twenty,
not thirty, not forty, but fifty feet away, standing at
a three fours angle with a hoodie on their hood
raised up and the lights off would have rendered a
(23:42):
verdict in today's case of not guilty. Were good were
good time, I'm loving you. I'm yes, Mr Bull that
(24:10):
I love here like yes, indeed, that's go with me.
That's definitely. Idn't laugh so bad. I'm so lu and
I know you choke know no, no, no, was like
he started that, I don't keep tabs on. I don't
keep tab with that lady. I don't keep that woman.
(24:36):
Don getting that on these comics with that judge laughing,
am I asked you don't have eyes in the back
of your head that he asked, right, I don't even
know what lines like. I told this line. I said,
I hate that question. But he loves No, he hate
that question. People you just like this, he us, Oh no,
(24:58):
he hate that up love That's what I'm like. That
was good. That was good. That did That's where happens.
That's real. That's real progress for the team. That's really
(25:18):
that's real progress for the team because it's growth because certainly,
like the trial was great, but the fact that y'all
were a flappable, like, that's progress because y'all know how
we do. I said, you see this judge is not
here for objection arguments. You see this other team is
not really objecting at all, Like I hope we sensed
(25:40):
the temperature in the room and adjudge, and I think
we did. Historically, Black colleges and universities across the country
have been the target of several bomb threats. This year.
Dillard University in New Orleans is the latest HBCU to
get a bomb threat. Leaders say several law enforcement agencies
were called in this morning and they're investor stigating where
(26:00):
this threat came from. Stay with us here at w
D s U as we continue to get updates on
this developing story. Oh god, the fank is happening around
Black his three months right, very much has it's giving.
Clan now knows how to use the internet. It's giving.
(26:21):
We can't burn crosses anymore, but we can still use
a telephone. It's giving. New Grand Wizard is a young person?
Shut up because that's very much truly. No. Do you
think they follow Robert's rules of order? At the meeting,
they was like somebody was like, okay, um, we have
a motion on the floor to do these seven schools
(26:43):
this week. Um can I um get a second? Can
I get a second? Point of order? Yes, I Grand
Wizard recognizes brother Jeffrey. Next point of business. I'm gonna
be honest. We've been get bomb threats probably since I
was in middle school. Come on now, very much getting
old white supresso at this point. If I get bombed,
(27:04):
I'm going to heaven. I've had um very racist experience.
My first racist experience in the streetports was in the
fourth grade at the elementary school. My grandmother was a
cafeteria manager at and the teacher was going around in
the circle asking if everybody with their nicknames were and
my nickname is KK in my household, and so I
(27:26):
said money names KK, And of course she made a
joke about the KKK. Me. Yes, she did, in front
of a room full of black children. And I went
home laughing about it because I was a kid. I
didn't know about the KKK in the fourth grade, you know.
And so I go home and telling the joke, nobody's laughing,
and they have to sit me down and talk to
me about racism. Hey, granny turning it, turn your screen down,
(27:51):
so lady, But yeah, perfect, just like that, like the Okay,
my name is Carlo Wis Douglas and I am Caitlin
douiness food mother. The neighborhood I grew up in was
it was good. It was basically, um, I guess, more
(28:14):
like a family or any different families living in that
little neighborhood at a little small neighborhood, and everybody got along.
We went to school together, and most of them, you know,
after they grew up finish high school, they just left
and went to the different states. I was attached to
her hip all the time. That's my best friend right there.
(28:34):
She knows. Um, She's amazing. She's very protective, very supportive.
She's the matriarch of our family. UM. And you know,
you guys, you're all were talking to an angel right now.
So I meet you all to cherish the moment. And
I'm doing because she is literally the reason why I'm
(28:57):
still on the earth. You know. I talked to her
as I got older about during that time I was
having suicidal thoughts as a kid, you know, And it's
hard to talk with her about it now because she
doesn't want to talk about it, but because it's like
she wanted to protect me. She end up her mother
(29:19):
end up transferring her old to the school where I
worked at, and about me working there, they would bring
her up to your men and I'm like, hey, what
are you're doing? And she would tell me this and
that not because that was real smart, and I think
that was probably it's okay, I'll take your time, okay.
(29:45):
And that was basically it. Before I came to school
to do it, to like finish my bachelor's I found
all my grandmother and my mom kept very thorough records
and documented it all the encounters I ever had in
in elementary school. They kept them. And so I sat
(30:08):
in the bathroom with the door closed in my grandma's
house and I started reading it and I just started crying,
like I just I just just crying in control because
I just I never understood what our kids were so
cruel to me. And uh, she was good and she
grew up to Ben. She just kept going. She never stopped,
(30:33):
she never gave up. I mean, she's gonna be become
got a Turney and she's gonna be good at the
thing and other people, and she's going to always stand
up for where she believes in. I am um heavily
involved in activism back home in Streeport, Louisiana. Like we
just had a police chief. Um stepped down resigned, thank God.
(30:56):
After God knows how long we were protesting this aladerity
for George Floyd, but we were really protesting for Tommy
mclouthan Junior wade Y Austin Volntation bill, like these people
who had been either killed in police custody or murdered
and no justice have been solved, like you know what
I mean in Streeport, and making sure that people understood
(31:17):
that the issues you see on television are happening right
now at the local level. So the city of street
Port faces its own issues with police brutality. Therefore, we
the people which to create policies that encourage accountability within
the street Port Police Department, make sure they serve and
(31:37):
protect citizens and ultimately create a better working relationship between
the police, government and the public they serve. To construct
and implement a Citizens Review Board that is independent from
the police department to handle any investigations of crimes involving
law enforcement. Whenever harriful methods are employed, to require SPD
(31:58):
applicants to test for a place it racial bias, The
creation and implementation of a good neighbor policy which will
create immunity for anyone who saves a human being from,
but not limited to being put being poe, assaulted, or
murdered by the police. In occorrence with Lauren v. District
of Columbia and the duty to Rescue doctrine, we encourage
(32:24):
you to accept this challenge and show the world the
power we have when we stand this one and fight
for justice for all. My grandmother is the person that
I can always go to. She really instilled to meet
what equity is, what equality is, and how nobody deserves
(32:45):
to be mistreated. Everybody deserves to be treated with love
and respect. And so you know, Greeny, thank you for that.
I really love you, Bottle with my heart. You always know.
I always tell you everything I do is because of
you in our family or what our family leans to it.
So I love you, Thank you. I love you too.
(33:17):
But heyway, I think it were really good yesterday. I
think yesterday it was nice. Um. I got called charming
by an old white man as my Gilani. I was like, okay, cool, Um,
I don't know how to feel about this, but that
was nice. Um. I think I think yesterday yesterday it
went pretty good. So um, you know I was telling
(33:37):
Yandre this, I said, I think the round three tails
us a lot. So the team is going blind this week.
And you probably know this because I'm sure you've asked
how y'all doing, and nobody knows the answer. We went
against uh University of Pennsylvania, Fine School, UM with a
very competitive mock trial team. Even their B team is competitive.
I'm regularly makes it to the championship. And so what
(34:00):
that tells us is that that was that was the
level of competition where we were at this point in
the regionals this weekend. So so I'm just saying, let's
we're not gonna lay down on round four. It's it's
too it's too important. It could be it could be
the thing that makes a difference. Your evidence will show
(34:23):
that as Chucky's burned and smoldered, the defendant watched as
their financial burdens disappeared with the smoke in the air.
And as the prosecution, we believe that in old order
to uphold the integrity of our great city, we must
hold the defendant accountable for their actions. Imagine with me,
(34:44):
if you will, you're on your way to this very
courtroom today and you're about to step up off your porch.
You look down to the ground and you see that
it is wet, there are water droplets on your car,
there are water droplets on the grass, and the sky
is gray. Now, because of that evid you don't have
to pull off your phone to check the weather. After
see it's just rained. You can reasonably conclude it hats.
(35:06):
You can apply that scenario to this very case today,
Ladies and gentlemen, this was an unreliable investigation. And to
top it all off, Detective Weber came to the stand
and told you that all of this was unnecessary. You're
at this time we would like the publishings of its seventy,
which has already been pre entered into evidence to the jury.
(35:29):
This is a report from the five point mutual insurance
who owns a fire at policy taken out by the defendant,
stating on August two, the day after the fire, the
defendant filed a claim for the one point five million
dollars and they just denied the claim. And relating to
this exact exhibit, we would like to point the court's
attention to I just wanted to say, y'all, I know
(35:49):
we were frustrated for round two, we were frustrated for
round three, but now it's like a new trial. We
put that behind us. Um. I know, as a leader,
sometimes it's hard for me to stuff my feelings down
and be like, no, we still got this. And y'all
obviously saw me break down who during the break but
you know, I'm human or whatever or whatever, and I
(36:11):
just I think my main thing is not because we
did bad or that it was like something that I'm like,
I'm doubting you or anything, but it's really I just
want to see that everything that we worked for really
plays out the way that it should. And I know
I annoyed a lot of y'all this year. I was
hounding y'all. I was asking y'all to do things y'all
didn't want to do, but I think it was for
the greater good. I know it was for the greater good.
(36:33):
And I think that it's time to lay it all
out on the table for this last round. I have
full confidence that we can take both ballots. So I'm
trying not to cry because I like, I did spend
an hour on my makeup, But UM, just keep that
in mind when there's an objection battle, when another attorney
is winning and you're not, when a judge doesn't seem
like she's invested to be here. Um, keep that in mind,
(36:55):
because our our purpose is greater. We're here to get
ten points on everything we do. So that being said, DeAndre,
you could just do a quick little prayer and then
we could get started right here. Close your eyes. Then,
fatherly comes right now once again saying thank you, Father God,
thank you for bringing us us far. And now I
ask to your strength, your guidance, your resilience, and your love,
your passion, your faith, Father God, so that we use
(37:17):
all of that in this last round. Give us the opening, is,
give us the closest, give us the victory and all
that we seek to do, Father God, for we declare
victory right now in the name of Jesus, Father God.
We declare going to ords. We declare going to nationals
right now. And so I asked that you make it
so far the God Him, the name of Jesus. There's
anything I can get to ask, Please don't elect answering,
poison your dollar's sun name. We pray man, okay, and
(37:43):
we're gonna go ahead with the closing your arguments, this
frun said, because how you pronounce it? Yes, your honor, Okay,
why don't you go ahead? May it please the court,
opposing counsel members of the jury. On August first, two
(38:05):
thousand twenty, Detective Webber responded to a call that Chuggy's
Barn restaurant was on fire. He learned that this bar
belonged to the defendant and was ensured for one million dollars.
And these damages that we've shown you today show you
exactly how that fire erupted. We learned that the defendant
(38:27):
burned his own her own building for money. But to
burn a building for money is a crime here in Midlands,
a crime called aggravated arson. And every witness we brought
to you, and every piece of evidence we've shown you,
was to prove that the defendant is the woman who
committed this crime. We had to prove three elements to you.
(38:51):
One that the defendant committed an act of arson with
the purpose to defraud, Two that defendant acted knowingly, and
three that the defendant created a substantial risk of serious
physical harm to emergency personnel Jalen Williams. We had to
prove these three things to you beyond a reasonable doubt,
(39:13):
which basically means that by the end of this trial,
if you can reasonably conclude that the only person who
did this crime was the defendant, and we've done our job.
They want you to forget that their family is counting
on us to do what's just. They want you to
forget that their family wakes up every single day hoping
that they'll see their son again, that they want to
(39:34):
believe that this is all a dream, that they cry
at the thought of someone else taking over his locker
or his seat at the dinner table. Members of the jury,
the real victim is not here today. The villain in
today's case is the defendant. The defendant is the person
with the plan. The defendant is the person with the motive.
(39:55):
The defendant is the person who, the day after the fire,
was not even enough time to warned their business requested
at one point five million dollars in full. Members of
the jury, do what's justin today's case. We've done our job.
We've proven these elements to you beyond a reasonable doubt.
So now it's your time, your moment, to do what's
(40:18):
right in today's case, and to show the defendant that
when they burned their building, they can't get away with it.
We must hold them accountable, find them guilty. Thank you,
thank you. That's yes, that's they were so good. Oh
(40:43):
my god, it was so good. He's good answer they
didn't work out, Yeah, okay, i'd best clothing ever like
(41:07):
that you have ever done, like ever, like what a
when we go out? Oh my god, you de best
ever like you cross them. No, it was beautiful, I
(41:32):
mean just like perfect. It's really would She's just not
like on that. You want to share your off happily
been seeing with the first bit out of original one
day kind of record of met Wins two film with
(42:01):
seven winnings, a cs of nineteen and a king of
plus forty six Team fourteen eighty seven, Dartmouth College cs
A sixteen and a half and a pear plus thirty
eight Team twelve thirteen. Ps Fight Your Beat our first
team in six wins with a c s at sixteen
(42:23):
and a half, a p d of plus thirty nine
team twelve six. I oh oh. We're hardly three months
(43:30):
into and already our nation has seen a spate of
hate crime. Dr kimbro Good, afternoon, Chairman Durbin, ranking Member Grassly,
and thank you for the invitation. Members of the Committee
on the Judiciary and a Special Louisiana Acknowledgment to Senator Kennedy.
My name is Walter Kimber, and I am the president
(43:51):
of DIALINGT University in New Orleans. I am in my
eighteenth year as an HBCU president. Since the beginning of January,
we have seen an unprecedented number of threats against historically
black colleges and universities. For all practical purposes, every HBCU
has been threatened. These threats have disrupted normal operations, causing
(44:13):
classes to be canceled or hastily moved online, unseverled students
and parents already weary from the two year toll of COVID,
and in cities like New Orleans disrupted last fall by
a hurricane which left an entire major American city without
power for days, these threats take an even heavier toll.
(44:37):
We need federal law enforcement agencies to redouble their efforts
to catch the wolves. Well look at that so much
excitement coming from Dillard University. This is the more Trial
(45:00):
team and they are on the road to National's ladies
and gentlemen, and get this, They're going to compete in
the opening round Championship series. Out of twenty four teams
in the region, Dillard is one of six to advance. Uh,
(45:28):
we're gonna go ahead and get started, and I will
just for a moment, UM, take just a second to
say welcome to everybody. UM, we are really excited to
have you all in Memphis. We're really excited to be
here in the courthouse. UM. I did want to just
say a couple of things about this courthouse. UM, it
is a historic building. You might have recognized some of
(45:51):
the spaces in this building. It's been featured in a
lot of feature films, UM, including The Firm, The Client,
Walk the Line. Basically any legal movie that's been set
in Memphis has probably had some filming done here. UM.
And uh, we hope that you all enjoy kind of
get to getting to live your John Grisham fantasy this weekend.
(46:15):
I made a post to LinkedIn actually last night using
the picture that we took on the the courthouse, and
I mentioned how the atmosphere of the courthouse was far
different than's something I've experienced from mock trial before. The
Army Bailey Courthouse is named after a black man, so
let's start there. The amount of history that that is
held when you have a bunch of black kids standing
(46:37):
on the steps of a courthouse named for a black
man in the city that is so historic to the
civil rights of black people. Um, it's it's very powerful.
So with that we can go ahead and flip the
corin Mike have that it is tails. Our next card
from the D group is Team twelve sixteen Dillard and
(47:04):
from Group A one Northwestern. So those are your first
round parents and we're getting the boards made right now
that will have room numbers on them. My name is
Anna Eldridge. UM. I am the director of mock Trial
(47:24):
and pre law Advising at Rhodes College and we are
the tournament host for the Memphis Opening Round Championship Series.
So my responsibility was to run the tournament. You know,
everybody at this point has already competed in invitation, as
they've already competed at regionals, and you know, this is
the tournament where you know, everybody in the field is
(47:45):
really strong. Um, the stakes are really high because everybody
just really wants to be in that final field of
forty eight and the goal is to pick the best
six teams out of each field to advance to the
final forty eight teams. In a browle, you know, you've
got the top six ranked teams in the country that
are at this field are in the A group, and
(48:07):
some of the teams that are here for the first time,
um that have not competed at this tournament before, not
going to nationals before. Teams like Dillard are ranked in
in the D group. Uh, they're gonna be matching up
against the A group in round one and I think
that that's gonna that's gonna make for interesting matchups. And Uh,
then as the tournament goes on, we'll keep hitting different
teams in different categories to see ultimately who has the
(48:31):
highest number of ballots. So how many judges thought you
were the better team against each of your opponents. Gotta
rock with you, all right? This team, best team, this team,
(48:54):
best team, best, this team, this team, lack team black,
this strong team, strong Tea, this team, this sea, strong team.
I love my love. I love my team. I love
my team, Love my team. I love my team. I
love my team. I love my I love my team,
I love my team, I love my tea. I love
(49:15):
my team, love my tea. I love my love my tea.
Let's get in there and do what we came here.
We're by. Let's gonna try the case your honor, opposing counsel,
(49:50):
members of the journey, may it please the court follow
the hoods. On August first, Jaylen Williams of Midlands Center
firefighter heard the alarms of the fire station ringing, meaning
that it was time for him to once again risk
his life. With no second thought and no hesitation, he
(50:11):
grabbed his gear and rushed onto the fire truck. And
unfortunately you will learn that that search and rescue mission
did end in one cavity. And on that very day,
Midland's lost a hero and a citizen, the most important,
a family loss of fire. The suns y'all lost, Jay Williams,
(50:40):
there's no regrets in here. That's right, it ain't nothing.
Ain't no regrets be here. I love y'all so much,
and I'm gonna be right in the pews behind you
and crazy show you right when y'all getting up there
and getting I'm gonna be right my little sermon though
(51:02):
in the back of my bulletin. And let's be on
a great shot. Let's pluming the performance. Let's put on
a great case. I don't see where we walking, but
we made a full service back to the bend. And
(51:22):
I thought about that, um I just thought about her
life is a full circle, you know, at the beginning
of life, begin of life, And I thought about our
coaches always say what we need to win, it's already
inside of us what we need to win. It's already here.
That was the begin talking now right now we're at
(51:45):
the end and we're around four. But this is actually
our beginning to get to the next chapter that we
had and we just came back to it. So when
y'all going to that ride, remember everything he needs to
win is already to side you. That's important to y'all.
Don't thank you time. You know, when we need to
(52:07):
be here, we show it and and it ain't any
days and it's coming back full circle. Renee and our
name and i'd be with IMPOSTI I will not say
y'all are younger than me here. Y'all really do inspire me.
(52:29):
But the job I have, the leadership that I have,
the confidence that I have, the struggles album overcoming with
the l set and so much other things. Listen, this
team is a god seeing I'm all all of y'all, everybody,
(52:49):
thank you. I'm just very proud of y'all. Um. I'm
not even as nervous as I was going into regionals.
You know that was my last shot getting out of there,
and now that we're here, I'm just excited for where
we can go. I'm not nervous at all. I have
full confidence in every one of y'all and I'm just
I can't explain how much I'm proud of y'all. So
thank you, thank you, do to all of my face
(53:11):
so we can motified. Yes, his wife has tolt your
eye and um and attitude. Prayer, Father, God, for the
millions of time, we thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, and I cannot stop saying enough
for all that you have done and all that you
will do for this team. Thank you for the God.
As we're going to this national season, I ask that
(53:35):
you watch for everyone on this team. Everyone has given
so much faunt with God. Everyone has lost a part
of themselves to give to this team for us. A
source Tempo. Tell the guys now, if there's anything for
me to ask, please don't be the answering forcing your
don wants son Jason and pro Man. She's good guy. Mike,
(53:56):
your attorney stated, you're facing life in prison. Yeah, I
don't know how much time I got left. But I'm
here for a good time, not a long time. You know.
You're here today testifying on behalf of the prosecution. Yeah,
and the prosecution has offered you a plea do that's
how they told me yet, and that in that plea
deal you may face ten to twenty years right. Yeah,
(54:17):
I'm not sure I'll make it that long, but sure
that's under the condition that you testify against the defendant,
isn't that true? Yeah? They soon said they wanted me
to help help back. And now I want to ask
you about the night in question. You say you saw
someone around twelve o'clock, right, Yes, I did. It was
dark outside, it was it was around me night, but
there were some street lights. They had a hoodie on,
(54:38):
they did. It was a dark hoodie, dark clothes, and
I was surprised it was so hot outside. As a
matter of fact, the hood was up. Isn't that right?
It was he must have been hot. Yeah, you saw
this person for about one second, isn't that correct? Yeah? Yeah,
that sounds about right now as you observed. You said
you were fifty feet away, isn't that right? Give or take? Yes, sir,
(55:00):
you didn't see this person go through the back door
of Chucky's right, No, I did not. You also didn't
see anyone go through the front door. No, I can't
see the front from the back. Thank you, you'renn arrive
nothing further. Now, the defense does not disagree with the
fact that arson indeed was committed in this case. But
what we do disagree with is who did it? Members
(55:23):
of the jury, the burden in today's case, the state's
burdening today's cases proof beyond a reasonable doubt. That must
mean they must prove each of the elements I just
listened to you beyond that reasonable doubt, Members of the jury.
That is the highest burden in our judicial system, and
suffices to say they have failed to meet that burden.
(55:45):
But members of the jury have to ask ourselves who
saw was missing? Didn't see anyone go into or out
of Chuckies missing, didn't see anyone go through the alloy missing,
couldn't even see anyone if they were to have gone
through the front because at the prosecution waited for the
smoke to clear, they would have understood that someone wondering
(56:07):
a random jacket one day with the hood raised upstanding,
not five, not ten, not fifteen, not twenty, but fifty
feet away with the hood raised and the light fall
would have rendered a verdict in today's case of not guilty.
Thank you. So I will begin with the team that
(56:36):
finished with the best record. We had one team finished
with seven wins zero losses in one time. He's team
twelve sixteen. Shall we were ye yeah, yeah yeah, my
(57:44):
chest like I can't, but I send in the evaluation
for so let's let's go get these gos, go get
this trophy. Let's go get her and even not run
out of our Then we want the first shall be last,
and the last I'll be with her. She's a sick
We want first. We would see one first first place.
(58:05):
We want first place, said, come in, come on, come on,
s else. Okay, if this part of the thing is
about to lose, it's gonna be a problem with black
in the front. People want to black everyone not third.
We are. So when we become talking number one of
the names, and I have my songs pick picked out
(58:29):
all the aby and green, nicky, my eyes on per
per per per, let's go because we wipe your mom.
We won. We want, we want, we want all right,
(58:54):
So with that, um, if you all would indulge me,
and we need to do a quick room change. Um,
we're gonna go to room one sixty four, which we
all are familiar with. This right here around the corner,
you can leave if you need so, you can leave
some of your things. So I've heard that this is
possibly your last season. I think is that true? This
is true? How does that make you feel? I mean,
(59:17):
you clearly put more than just to check the box
energy into this. Yeah, it's um, you know, mixed feelings
for sure, I have. I mean, this has been just
really like the blessing of a lifetime. I really have
received so much from being in community with these students,
(59:39):
um or being able to sort of walk along with
them on this part of their journey, and to see
the progress of this team, the collective and then the
individuals who have passed this way. It has just been
the blessing of a lifetime. You know, it is it is.
It's sad. I guess I can use the word said,
I do build some sense of sad. Is maybe maybe
(01:00:01):
bitter sweet? Is it a little bitter sweet? Yeah? Bitter sweet? Um,
Because this has been so much of my life for
you know, fair a fair amount of time. Um, The
thing that is sweet about it is just seeing the growth. Um.
People outside the team on the campus know that, like,
(01:00:21):
oh wow, you're on the motrol team. They know that
that means something serious, Like the team has a reputation
on campus like no, they are serious and they are
good and it means something to them, and it means
something on the campus. And I think we've got, you know,
students who have bought into that to where, um, you
know that will continue beyond this, beyond this year and
(01:00:43):
beyond the season. This is fun. I mean it's you know,
(01:01:08):
it's stressful, but it's fun. I mean, you know, getting
these getting to the break we always tell them that
all we can prepare you for us to break, because
once you're in the breakgrounds, you're always going against the
school that's as good as you are. There's so many variables.
Did right now, we're just all hanging on for the
Ryde that's next time on class Action. Class Action is
(01:01:33):
a production of I Heart Radio and Sound Argument, created, produced, written,
and edited by Kevin Huffman and Lisa Gray. Additional story
production by Jennifer Swan, Jason Foster, and Wendy Nardi. Executive
producers are Taylor Chicogne and Katrina north Bell. Sound design,
(01:01:56):
editing and mixing by Evan Tyre and Taylor Chakoy. This
episode had additional field production by Jason Foster, Davis Land,
Thomas Walsh, and Matt Weimer. For more podcasts from I
Heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your favorite shows.
Class Action is a production of I Heart Radio and
Sound Argument. Dillard University is about to embark on an
exhausting run of three competitions and the request to punch
their ticket to the national tournament. It's the same old
arson case. A bar called Chuggyes is torched, a firefighter dies,
(00:22):
and the owner tries to collect the insurance money. Coach
Adrea kimbro In students a Maya Ronsick, DeAndre Bell, la
A Shelton, and Caitlin Douglas narrate this story. This is
episode nine, Survive and Advance. Okay, there's this, um, I
(00:47):
think this chance. Um, I think people who were on
my team for Houston. Remember I pulled you outside. I
made you'll do this chance about about this team. So
I just wanted to repeat after me and keep the
beat like I know we can't. Okay, just repeat after me.
It's a very simple, repeat after me. This team, best team,
(01:09):
This team is the best team, this team, this strong team,
this team, this strong team. Strong. Love my team, my team,
Love my team team, Love my team. Hello, my team,
Hello my team. He love my team. You'll come on you.
(01:57):
So the season is still shaping up for us. We
have commitments already at competitions. UM one will be the
University of Alabama, Pace University in New York, the University
of Houston, which is a great competition. Yes, it's my
(02:23):
cousin's house. When I knew was Houston and I was
new is this week, I was like, Yes, we're gonna
we're gonna eat good food. One of these days, we're
gonna have some good homely food with my family and
we're gonna have fun made you doesn't California much like Arizona.
So so today is going well. Um, we are having
(02:47):
an opportunity to test some things out. Um also having
an opportunity to give some of our remembers a chance
to get more experience. So I hate to say it
like this, but it's almost like a vlosity j V
(03:07):
model that happens in the screen when you put your
very bens, your your best experienced talented people all on
one team, almost like a warrior class if you will,
I can all star team. Because you want to give
yourself the best shot to make it to the championships.
Some of our lesser experienced people are going to be
(03:28):
on the team by themselves in the screen, so they're
not gonna have you know, the a Maya's lagenis the
deandres with them to kind of help hold them up. Alright,
defense first, first of you, like Toss, I'll be playing
(04:00):
the role of a witness. Um specifically for this round,
I'll be Scotlet Dejon. Um. It's gonna be an interesting
witness because we're trying out a new theory and we
are contending that somebody else did it, that somebody being me,
and so I have to play it off like I
didn't do it, but I really know what happened. But
it's gonna be fun. I'm excited. Um, good morning. Everyone
(04:23):
in My name is Scotlet dejon Well at heart, I
am at that and I could play Minia roles. I
could be happy, I can be said, I can be
hoholier than now, and of course I can get a
little evil to you know, not at all, absolutely. I
mean she made bad business decisions, including what she did
(04:44):
to me. Um. The renovations were terrible. Everything that Dakoda
did really messed things up. And like you said, prior
to you saw her walking to the firehouse. Yes, and
that's what made you certain that it was missul f
At You well, I know for in fact it was her.
I mean it was her, are her business. She would
be the only one there at the time, with the
exception of me, because you know I know how to
(05:05):
move around. That's exactly right, Mr j. Young. You know
it was her because she's the only firefighter that you know.
I just connected to Chucky's and the firehouse. Well, I
wouldn't say the firefighting part was really what gave me
the ammunition I needed to know that it was her.
But like I said, when I followed her to the building,
followed her out of the building, that kind of thing
I made sense. Yes, I was able to tell that
(05:27):
she was a firefighter. My name is Audrey. About the
last room, I feel really confident about the last time
was amazing. You know that thank you, thank you, you know,
like it was I'm being so serious. The judges comments,
didn't know, just like he said, some good stuff. But
like I'm very proud of your clothing you thank you,
thank you. I try to think y'all, the amount of
(05:48):
improvement you've shown since like the very first time you
gave a clothing, Like when I say exponential, Like no,
the way you told the story, like I saw you
make the adjudgments that I suggested last night, and it
was it was, it was well done. Thank you. Okay.
I know earlier I said I was really nervous to
the point of crime. But like after I went through
(06:09):
my first direct I know, I know, it was my
first cross, I was like so excited, like I felt
so comfortable, and I was like, I'm ready to do
it again. The Annihilat, Yes, we've given her a line name.
This is the Annihilator speaking because of Katrina. Like, some
(06:30):
of my best friends in Houston are from New Orleans,
and you know, we see a lot of New Orleans
elements and a lot of things that people in Houston
do because so much of Houston's population are people who
were displaced, you know, from New Orleans. So my dad
is the founding minister of the pastor at Joy Cathedral
(06:51):
UM in Houston, Texas. You know, people already know who
he is, especially in the church. Everyone knows who he is. Yeah, yeah, yes,
they're here. Good morning, day being well aboutself. DeAndre bell Is,
(07:13):
My name is Jason, Nice to meet you. Good morning,
DeAndre bell Is. My name sir. Come on in, thank you, yes, sir. Uh,
Let's walk through Uh. Through the kitchen. We have to
make shift. Excuse me, just follow me with make shifts.
Since we're still in the COVID environment. I still don't
feel comfortable, uh, meeting face to face. I shot at
(07:37):
ten fifty nine, and we're normally done by eleven. My
wife will start playing behind the curtain, and then my
son and my daughter will give me directions on time
and we'll ahead records play and that's it. What time
is it? Okay, okay, see the gonna lie. I will
(08:12):
bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually
be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast
in the Lord. The umble shall hear that rove and
be glad, old magnified. The Lord with me, and let
us exalt his name together. We're grateful and thankful to
God that he has allowed us this another day, another hour,
(08:33):
another privilege, and another opportunity. Then we might gather before
his presence to call upon His holy and righteous name.
I'm grateful and thankful to God. We were still in
our first home, and so DeAndre was two years old.
He grabs a microphone and he starts screaming, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
(08:53):
and his mother says, DeAndre, you're going to be hoarse.
So he screams, and he's preaching. And because he was
screaming Jesus so much, he lost his voice. He put
his microphone down, drank out of his sippy cup, then
put the sippy cup down, picked his microphone back up,
and he started continuing. Yes, he's always been very intelligent.
(09:19):
We call him wise beyond his years, just because if
you hold a conversation with him, even I will have
to tell him, okay, dumb that down a little bit.
You know, use layman terms with me. I'm your momma,
use layman terms and so. But he's always been been
that kid. DeAndre is just he's just always a character.
He's always been a character. My head, I hear music.
(09:43):
Over my head, I hear music. There must be a
God somewhere. And even if your instrument has gotten down
to only one string, if you can still make music,
you can still red joice because of what God has
done for you. Granted, brothers and sisters, our lives may
(10:04):
not line up with the direction that we think they
should line up, but all in all, you and I
should be able to rejoice that God has given us
another chance to get it right. He wanted to be
a lawyer. My dad wanted to go to law school,
and he was called to preach instead. And it was
crazy because over the past summer, he said, DeAndre, it's
(10:28):
amazing to me how I couldn't do what I wanted
to do. But God has led you to do the thing,
the kind of things that I want to do. And
not only that, you've been led to not only be
a lawyer, but to preach as well. So now you
are doing two fold the things that I am doing.
You know, Father God, You've given each of us a
(10:50):
distinct and succinct talent. Father God, You've given us each
an element of this case that we can argue to
the best of our ability. So we thank you for
the God. We thank you for the objections, the rules
of evidence, the case, the witnesses, the attorneys, the the openings,
the closings that directs the cross as we thank you,
Father God, for putting these words in our minds and
(11:12):
our hearts and in our souls. Father God, so that
we may not only show them who we are, but
show them who you are. Father God, you have made
this team all that it is, Father God, And so
we thank you once more, Father God. If there's anything
I forget to ask, please don't neglect an answering for
is in your dollar's son Jesus name, We pray Amen.
(11:47):
So today we're celebrating the University of Home Comedy Parade,
and so we're all excited about this our first parass
from the season. When I say season of the last
two years, you know, because of to COVID everything was canceled.
So we have a big parade and celebrating the coming
back of Gentillion, coming back to the city of New
Orleans and all the kids coming in. Yes, the WiFi
(12:35):
pass were the same with the app sign and we're
definitely still practicing. Is that to adjust because of home
Coming week events, So we're having an extended three hour
practice tonight, so we're still doing the work. This weekend
(12:57):
is our Regionals tournament. Unfortunately was put online due to
COVID nineteen. But um, this is the tournament that decides
like if our season is over and not basically if
we make it past this will go to like Nationals
and stuff like that. I'm kind of bummed because I
really wish you would have been in person, but it
is a lot of pressure now because like this is
(13:18):
my last shot at it. She's gonna switch out with you. Okay,
like you know how on defense, you're on your on
defense and Taylor, so can Taylor use yours? Yeah? I
thought no, which to DeAndre? Please tell me you got
the own flock computer? Okay, where's I Let me put
(13:43):
it together. We are putting together ring lights so that
we can have good lighting for the competition. I'm excited
because we're ready to We're ready to kick some behind.
Can someone test grain sharing please? That's it. The defense
(14:04):
is ready to procede your honor first, and are I
would like to acknowledge that Dakota Settler is constructively present
throughout trial today and it's constructively wearing a red tie. Second.
Here on, I'm entering a character events form which both
parties have signed on the chat. In terms of the
(14:25):
level of experience collectively, this is the most experienced team
that we've had, and so um, this is our very
best chance to make it back to the championship, and
I like our chances. I was talking to some of
them even today. I was like, well, it's our last rodeo,
like this, this is it, and um, I would very
(14:49):
much like for them to experience that joy. I mean,
you think about you do all of this work, this
all this excitement around you know, a piece of plastic essentially,
this trophy that you get, but it represents so much
more than that, particularly for those students who have been
on this team all four years of their college experience.
(15:10):
It represents such a huge part of their deal and experience.
They've invested a lot of time, energy, and effort in
an activity that they get no academic credit for, they
don't get paid for. They've invested a tremendous amount, and
I would just love for them to be able to
have the experience of making it too the championship before
(15:31):
they leave here. So I'm a senior. I'm actually applying
to law school right now. I made this document when
I was nineteen years old. I'm twenty one now. Before
they were like maybe eighty schools on here, and I've
researched every single one until I was able to narrow
(15:52):
it down to fifteen. Okay, So in this document, I've
listed the institution, the rank of the institution. It was
in portant to me that I had some institutions that
could take me anywhere I wanted to go, and then
I have these schools in green because my pre law
advisor thought that I should look into them to see
my chances of getting a full right scholarship. So that's
why I have those highlighted. But as far as the
(16:14):
schools that I'm applying to UM in one category, as
far as where I think I could get the most
money is FORDAM Texas A and M Northeastern University of Miami, St.
John's and Howard. All of those have great financial aid
programs based on my score, and they also have UM
a wide variety of individuals that look like me. I
(16:35):
think the diversity is great at the schools. They have
great clinics, and I would be happy going to either
of them. N YU actually has this great clinic UM
by Brian Stevenson who who runs it, and they do
a lot of death penalty work capital punishment cases. And
after reading his book Just Mercy and realizing how how
(16:56):
we treat people involved in the chrominal justice system, specifically
those who were even the death penalty or on death
row UM, I was really able to connect with it
and not only see the humanity and the people that
he was talking about, but I wanted to introduce that
concept into the legal field. Even though there are empathetic lawyers,
I don't think there are enough. People always say, UM, well,
(17:17):
how can you defend these types of people or these
types of people deserve this? And it's really not that simple,
So UM, I would love to learn more from him.
UM and plus n y U s I think the
highest ranked criminal law program in the country. So as
far as the schools that I think can open the
most doors, those are gonna be Harvard, Columbia, Chicago, n
(17:38):
y U, Georgetown, U T Austin, Boston University, University of
Southern California, and Emery. All of those schools have been
to rank very highly when it comes to placing students
in federal clerkships after after law school, which is a
big deal. That's something that I'm interested in and I
want the door to be open for me if I
decided to walk through it. But my personal statement is
(17:59):
mainly about a time in my life where I felt
um that my voice wasn't being heard or that I
was suppressing my feelings, and how through mock trial I
was able to not only find my voice but realize
what I wanted to do. Now that I regained it,
I'm gonna trying to find a good part. Okay, here's
one paragraph I can read. That same day, I signed
(18:22):
up for something called mock trial, thinking I would learn
a few things about speaking effectively. I began sitting in
the backup practices and watching the student lawyers argue their cases.
My coaches didn't let that fly for too long. They
insisted I lead strategy discussions and present every side of
the case until I knew the facts of the story
like it were my own. The courtroom became the place
where I felt the most comfortable. I learned that being
(18:44):
a litigator isn't about the objections you make or how
smart you sound. It's about the stories you tell. Usually
le how long was yours? And start praying music. I
(19:11):
think that's what she's trying to can I can catch
a beat. I can catch a beat, But staying on it,
that's another story. I feel like a lot of guys
in this setup right now, I do that. Okay, I'm
gonna try to do this without crying. No. I was
just telling Ms Friesen and some others that my freshman
year on the team, I just remember being super nervous
(19:35):
and just wanted to cry because I just didn't think
I was ready, And then the tears that I have
today is not from that place. I'm not anxious at all.
I'm excited, and I'm proud of each and every one
of y'all and the growth that I've seen on the team.
Like I'm not even I'm here to show up one
last time for you guys at regionals. But no, I
know that it's been stressful. There's been tension on the team.
(19:58):
There's been you know, times or some us wanted to
quit and I didn't. I didn't mean to look at
nobody in particularly, but you know, I'm just really excited
for where you guys are at right now, and I
can't wait to come back and be able to judge
one of y'all's rounds and and just to see how
far y'all have come. Oh Okay, that's it. That's it.
(20:20):
Let's let's go in there and kick. But let's just
win and do what we came here to do. Period. Hello,
(20:45):
your honor, my name is Amya Ronsic, and alongside my
co council DeAndre Cabell, the Second, Hello you, and Renee
sime In. Hello your honor, we probably represent the Code
Sutcliffe in this matter. And you don't know what debris
or evidence they moved away from Jalen And no, I'm
not aware I was outside. And you also didn't interview
(21:07):
these officers after your investigation, did you. No, you also
didn't require them to write a report about what debris
was removed. Relevance and Michael pet was a tragic objection
yard into facts not in evidence or testifying to facts
not in evidence. You explain your objection, Yes, your honor
opposing counsel is eliciting information, hearsay information from an article
(21:31):
that has not yet been entered. Okay, I gotta get
ready to help him turn off the lights. I'm gonna
stand in my spot. Do you want him to get
on yours? Okay? Do the tester DeAndre come back in
the room in the back of the room. Um, I
(21:51):
have to switch the lights off. Um. DeAndre has a
little demonstra if he does. Um for his closing. Because
the whole contention is that the witnesses they bought to
make an identification possibly couldn't have made it because they
claimed somebody in a black in all black with a
black hoodie pulled up at a three or fourth angle
(22:14):
with the lights off is obviously this person. So he's
gonna go fifty feet away with a black countee on it,
We're gonna turn the lights off. Very much as a
Hail Mary, your honor, opposing counsel members of the jury,
(22:35):
at the beginning of today's trial, you heard my co
counsel come before you and tell you that the prosecution
did not wait for the smoke to clear. And now
by the end of trial you've seen that before the Chuggy,
the smoke of the Chuggy's fire was able to dissipate,
before a clear picture of what actually happened on July
(22:57):
was made prevalent, before thorough investigation was completed, the prosecution
rushed to try and convict my client the code of
Sutcliffe of aggravated arsent. And so don't believe it wait
for the smoke too clear, because had the prosecution waited
(23:19):
for the smoke to clear, they would have understood that
a figure standing not five, not ten, not fifteen, not twenty,
not thirty, not forty, but fifty feet away, standing at
a three fours angle with a hoodie on their hood
raised up and the lights off would have rendered a
(23:42):
verdict in today's case of not guilty. Were good were
good time, I'm loving you. I'm yes, Mr Bull that
(24:10):
I love here like yes, indeed, that's go with me.
That's definitely. Idn't laugh so bad. I'm so lu and
I know you choke know no, no, no, was like
he started that, I don't keep tabs on. I don't
keep tab with that lady. I don't keep that woman.
(24:36):
Don getting that on these comics with that judge laughing,
am I asked you don't have eyes in the back
of your head that he asked, right, I don't even
know what lines like. I told this line. I said,
I hate that question. But he loves No, he hate
that question. People you just like this, he us, Oh no,
(24:58):
he hate that up love That's what I'm like. That
was good. That was good. That did That's where happens.
That's real. That's real progress for the team. That's really
(25:18):
that's real progress for the team because it's growth because certainly,
like the trial was great, but the fact that y'all
were a flappable, like, that's progress because y'all know how
we do. I said, you see this judge is not
here for objection arguments. You see this other team is
not really objecting at all, Like I hope we sensed
(25:40):
the temperature in the room and adjudge, and I think
we did. Historically, Black colleges and universities across the country
have been the target of several bomb threats. This year.
Dillard University in New Orleans is the latest HBCU to
get a bomb threat. Leaders say several law enforcement agencies
were called in this morning and they're investor stigating where
(26:00):
this threat came from. Stay with us here at w
D s U as we continue to get updates on
this developing story. Oh god, the fank is happening around
Black his three months right, very much has it's giving.
Clan now knows how to use the internet. It's giving.
(26:21):
We can't burn crosses anymore, but we can still use
a telephone. It's giving. New Grand Wizard is a young person?
Shut up because that's very much truly. No. Do you
think they follow Robert's rules of order? At the meeting,
they was like somebody was like, okay, um, we have
a motion on the floor to do these seven schools
(26:43):
this week. Um can I um get a second? Can
I get a second? Point of order? Yes, I Grand
Wizard recognizes brother Jeffrey. Next point of business. I'm gonna
be honest. We've been get bomb threats probably since I
was in middle school. Come on now, very much getting
old white supresso at this point. If I get bombed,
(27:04):
I'm going to heaven. I've had um very racist experience.
My first racist experience in the streetports was in the
fourth grade at the elementary school. My grandmother was a
cafeteria manager at and the teacher was going around in
the circle asking if everybody with their nicknames were and
my nickname is KK in my household, and so I
(27:26):
said money names KK, And of course she made a
joke about the KKK. Me. Yes, she did, in front
of a room full of black children. And I went
home laughing about it because I was a kid. I
didn't know about the KKK in the fourth grade, you know.
And so I go home and telling the joke, nobody's laughing,
and they have to sit me down and talk to
me about racism. Hey, granny turning it, turn your screen down,
(27:51):
so lady, But yeah, perfect, just like that, like the Okay,
my name is Carlo Wis Douglas and I am Caitlin
douiness food mother. The neighborhood I grew up in was
it was good. It was basically, um, I guess, more
(28:14):
like a family or any different families living in that
little neighborhood at a little small neighborhood, and everybody got along.
We went to school together, and most of them, you know,
after they grew up finish high school, they just left
and went to the different states. I was attached to
her hip all the time. That's my best friend right there.
(28:34):
She knows. Um, She's amazing. She's very protective, very supportive.
She's the matriarch of our family. UM. And you know,
you guys, you're all were talking to an angel right now.
So I meet you all to cherish the moment. And
I'm doing because she is literally the reason why I'm
(28:57):
still on the earth. You know. I talked to her
as I got older about during that time I was
having suicidal thoughts as a kid, you know, And it's
hard to talk with her about it now because she
doesn't want to talk about it, but because it's like
she wanted to protect me. She end up her mother
(29:19):
end up transferring her old to the school where I
worked at, and about me working there, they would bring
her up to your men and I'm like, hey, what
are you're doing? And she would tell me this and
that not because that was real smart, and I think
that was probably it's okay, I'll take your time, okay.
(29:45):
And that was basically it. Before I came to school
to do it, to like finish my bachelor's I found
all my grandmother and my mom kept very thorough records
and documented it all the encounters I ever had in
in elementary school. They kept them. And so I sat
(30:08):
in the bathroom with the door closed in my grandma's
house and I started reading it and I just started crying,
like I just I just just crying in control because
I just I never understood what our kids were so
cruel to me. And uh, she was good and she
grew up to Ben. She just kept going. She never stopped,
(30:33):
she never gave up. I mean, she's gonna be become
got a Turney and she's gonna be good at the
thing and other people, and she's going to always stand
up for where she believes in. I am um heavily
involved in activism back home in Streeport, Louisiana. Like we
just had a police chief. Um stepped down resigned, thank God.
(30:56):
After God knows how long we were protesting this aladerity
for George Floyd, but we were really protesting for Tommy
mclouthan Junior wade Y Austin Volntation bill, like these people
who had been either killed in police custody or murdered
and no justice have been solved, like you know what
I mean in Streeport, and making sure that people understood
(31:17):
that the issues you see on television are happening right
now at the local level. So the city of street
Port faces its own issues with police brutality. Therefore, we
the people which to create policies that encourage accountability within
the street Port Police Department, make sure they serve and
(31:37):
protect citizens and ultimately create a better working relationship between
the police, government and the public they serve. To construct
and implement a Citizens Review Board that is independent from
the police department to handle any investigations of crimes involving
law enforcement. Whenever harriful methods are employed, to require SPD
(31:58):
applicants to test for a place it racial bias, The
creation and implementation of a good neighbor policy which will
create immunity for anyone who saves a human being from,
but not limited to being put being poe, assaulted, or
murdered by the police. In occorrence with Lauren v. District
of Columbia and the duty to Rescue doctrine, we encourage
(32:24):
you to accept this challenge and show the world the
power we have when we stand this one and fight
for justice for all. My grandmother is the person that
I can always go to. She really instilled to meet
what equity is, what equality is, and how nobody deserves
(32:45):
to be mistreated. Everybody deserves to be treated with love
and respect. And so you know, Greeny, thank you for that.
I really love you, Bottle with my heart. You always know.
I always tell you everything I do is because of
you in our family or what our family leans to it.
So I love you, Thank you. I love you too.
(33:17):
But heyway, I think it were really good yesterday. I
think yesterday it was nice. Um. I got called charming
by an old white man as my Gilani. I was like, okay, cool, Um,
I don't know how to feel about this, but that
was nice. Um. I think I think yesterday yesterday it
went pretty good. So um, you know I was telling
(33:37):
Yandre this, I said, I think the round three tails
us a lot. So the team is going blind this week.
And you probably know this because I'm sure you've asked
how y'all doing, and nobody knows the answer. We went
against uh University of Pennsylvania, Fine School, UM with a
very competitive mock trial team. Even their B team is competitive.
I'm regularly makes it to the championship. And so what
(34:00):
that tells us is that that was that was the
level of competition where we were at this point in
the regionals this weekend. So so I'm just saying, let's
we're not gonna lay down on round four. It's it's
too it's too important. It could be it could be
the thing that makes a difference. Your evidence will show
(34:23):
that as Chucky's burned and smoldered, the defendant watched as
their financial burdens disappeared with the smoke in the air.
And as the prosecution, we believe that in old order
to uphold the integrity of our great city, we must
hold the defendant accountable for their actions. Imagine with me,
(34:44):
if you will, you're on your way to this very
courtroom today and you're about to step up off your porch.
You look down to the ground and you see that
it is wet, there are water droplets on your car,
there are water droplets on the grass, and the sky
is gray. Now, because of that evid you don't have
to pull off your phone to check the weather. After
see it's just rained. You can reasonably conclude it hats.
(35:06):
You can apply that scenario to this very case today,
Ladies and gentlemen, this was an unreliable investigation. And to
top it all off, Detective Weber came to the stand
and told you that all of this was unnecessary. You're
at this time we would like the publishings of its seventy,
which has already been pre entered into evidence to the jury.
(35:29):
This is a report from the five point mutual insurance
who owns a fire at policy taken out by the defendant,
stating on August two, the day after the fire, the
defendant filed a claim for the one point five million
dollars and they just denied the claim. And relating to
this exact exhibit, we would like to point the court's
attention to I just wanted to say, y'all, I know
(35:49):
we were frustrated for round two, we were frustrated for
round three, but now it's like a new trial. We
put that behind us. Um. I know, as a leader,
sometimes it's hard for me to stuff my feelings down
and be like, no, we still got this. And y'all
obviously saw me break down who during the break but
you know, I'm human or whatever or whatever, and I
(36:11):
just I think my main thing is not because we
did bad or that it was like something that I'm like,
I'm doubting you or anything, but it's really I just
want to see that everything that we worked for really
plays out the way that it should. And I know
I annoyed a lot of y'all this year. I was
hounding y'all. I was asking y'all to do things y'all
didn't want to do, but I think it was for
the greater good. I know it was for the greater good.
(36:33):
And I think that it's time to lay it all
out on the table for this last round. I have
full confidence that we can take both ballots. So I'm
trying not to cry because I like, I did spend
an hour on my makeup, But UM, just keep that
in mind when there's an objection battle, when another attorney
is winning and you're not, when a judge doesn't seem
like she's invested to be here. Um, keep that in mind,
(36:55):
because our our purpose is greater. We're here to get
ten points on everything we do. So that being said, DeAndre,
you could just do a quick little prayer and then
we could get started right here. Close your eyes. Then,
fatherly comes right now once again saying thank you, Father God,
thank you for bringing us us far. And now I
ask to your strength, your guidance, your resilience, and your love,
your passion, your faith, Father God, so that we use
(37:17):
all of that in this last round. Give us the opening, is,
give us the closest, give us the victory and all
that we seek to do, Father God, for we declare
victory right now in the name of Jesus, Father God.
We declare going to ords. We declare going to nationals
right now. And so I asked that you make it
so far the God Him, the name of Jesus. There's
anything I can get to ask, Please don't elect answering,
poison your dollar's sun name. We pray man, okay, and
(37:43):
we're gonna go ahead with the closing your arguments, this
frun said, because how you pronounce it? Yes, your honor, Okay,
why don't you go ahead? May it please the court,
opposing counsel members of the jury. On August first, two
(38:05):
thousand twenty, Detective Webber responded to a call that Chuggy's
Barn restaurant was on fire. He learned that this bar
belonged to the defendant and was ensured for one million dollars.
And these damages that we've shown you today show you
exactly how that fire erupted. We learned that the defendant
(38:27):
burned his own her own building for money. But to
burn a building for money is a crime here in Midlands,
a crime called aggravated arson. And every witness we brought
to you, and every piece of evidence we've shown you,
was to prove that the defendant is the woman who
committed this crime. We had to prove three elements to you.
(38:51):
One that the defendant committed an act of arson with
the purpose to defraud, Two that defendant acted knowingly, and
three that the defendant created a substantial risk of serious
physical harm to emergency personnel Jalen Williams. We had to
prove these three things to you beyond a reasonable doubt,
(39:13):
which basically means that by the end of this trial,
if you can reasonably conclude that the only person who
did this crime was the defendant, and we've done our job.
They want you to forget that their family is counting
on us to do what's just. They want you to
forget that their family wakes up every single day hoping
that they'll see their son again, that they want to
(39:34):
believe that this is all a dream, that they cry
at the thought of someone else taking over his locker
or his seat at the dinner table. Members of the jury,
the real victim is not here today. The villain in
today's case is the defendant. The defendant is the person
with the plan. The defendant is the person with the motive.
(39:55):
The defendant is the person who, the day after the fire,
was not even enough time to warned their business requested
at one point five million dollars in full. Members of
the jury, do what's justin today's case. We've done our job.
We've proven these elements to you beyond a reasonable doubt.
So now it's your time, your moment, to do what's
(40:18):
right in today's case, and to show the defendant that
when they burned their building, they can't get away with it.
We must hold them accountable, find them guilty. Thank you,
thank you. That's yes, that's they were so good. Oh
(40:43):
my god, it was so good. He's good answer they
didn't work out, Yeah, okay, i'd best clothing ever like
(41:07):
that you have ever done, like ever, like what a
when we go out? Oh my god, you de best
ever like you cross them. No, it was beautiful, I
(41:32):
mean just like perfect. It's really would She's just not
like on that. You want to share your off happily
been seeing with the first bit out of original one
day kind of record of met Wins two film with
(42:01):
seven winnings, a cs of nineteen and a king of
plus forty six Team fourteen eighty seven, Dartmouth College cs
A sixteen and a half and a pear plus thirty
eight Team twelve thirteen. Ps Fight Your Beat our first
team in six wins with a c s at sixteen
(42:23):
and a half, a p d of plus thirty nine
team twelve six. I oh oh. We're hardly three months
(43:30):
into and already our nation has seen a spate of
hate crime. Dr kimbro Good, afternoon, Chairman Durbin, ranking Member Grassly,
and thank you for the invitation. Members of the Committee
on the Judiciary and a Special Louisiana Acknowledgment to Senator Kennedy.
My name is Walter Kimber, and I am the president
(43:51):
of DIALINGT University in New Orleans. I am in my
eighteenth year as an HBCU president. Since the beginning of January,
we have seen an unprecedented number of threats against historically
black colleges and universities. For all practical purposes, every HBCU
has been threatened. These threats have disrupted normal operations, causing
(44:13):
classes to be canceled or hastily moved online, unseverled students
and parents already weary from the two year toll of COVID,
and in cities like New Orleans disrupted last fall by
a hurricane which left an entire major American city without
power for days, these threats take an even heavier toll.
(44:37):
We need federal law enforcement agencies to redouble their efforts
to catch the wolves. Well look at that so much
excitement coming from Dillard University. This is the more Trial
(45:00):
team and they are on the road to National's ladies
and gentlemen, and get this, They're going to compete in
the opening round Championship series. Out of twenty four teams
in the region, Dillard is one of six to advance. Uh,
(45:28):
we're gonna go ahead and get started, and I will
just for a moment, UM, take just a second to
say welcome to everybody. UM, we are really excited to
have you all in Memphis. We're really excited to be
here in the courthouse. UM. I did want to just
say a couple of things about this courthouse. UM, it
is a historic building. You might have recognized some of
(45:51):
the spaces in this building. It's been featured in a
lot of feature films, UM, including The Firm, The Client,
Walk the Line. Basically any legal movie that's been set
in Memphis has probably had some filming done here. UM.
And uh, we hope that you all enjoy kind of
get to getting to live your John Grisham fantasy this weekend.
(46:15):
I made a post to LinkedIn actually last night using
the picture that we took on the the courthouse, and
I mentioned how the atmosphere of the courthouse was far
different than's something I've experienced from mock trial before. The
Army Bailey Courthouse is named after a black man, so
let's start there. The amount of history that that is
held when you have a bunch of black kids standing
(46:37):
on the steps of a courthouse named for a black
man in the city that is so historic to the
civil rights of black people. Um, it's it's very powerful.
So with that we can go ahead and flip the
corin Mike have that it is tails. Our next card
from the D group is Team twelve sixteen Dillard and
(47:04):
from Group A one Northwestern. So those are your first
round parents and we're getting the boards made right now
that will have room numbers on them. My name is
Anna Eldridge. UM. I am the director of mock Trial
(47:24):
and pre law Advising at Rhodes College and we are
the tournament host for the Memphis Opening Round Championship Series.
So my responsibility was to run the tournament. You know,
everybody at this point has already competed in invitation, as
they've already competed at regionals, and you know, this is
the tournament where you know, everybody in the field is
(47:45):
really strong. Um, the stakes are really high because everybody
just really wants to be in that final field of
forty eight and the goal is to pick the best
six teams out of each field to advance to the
final forty eight teams. In a browle, you know, you've
got the top six ranked teams in the country that
are at this field are in the A group, and
(48:07):
some of the teams that are here for the first time,
um that have not competed at this tournament before, not
going to nationals before. Teams like Dillard are ranked in
in the D group. Uh, they're gonna be matching up
against the A group in round one and I think
that that's gonna that's gonna make for interesting matchups. And Uh,
then as the tournament goes on, we'll keep hitting different
teams in different categories to see ultimately who has the
(48:31):
highest number of ballots. So how many judges thought you
were the better team against each of your opponents. Gotta
rock with you, all right? This team, best team, this team,
(48:54):
best team, best, this team, this team, lack team black,
this strong team, strong Tea, this team, this sea, strong team.
I love my love. I love my team. I love
my team, Love my team. I love my team. I
love my team. I love my I love my team,
I love my team, I love my tea. I love
(49:15):
my team, love my tea. I love my love my tea.
Let's get in there and do what we came here.
We're by. Let's gonna try the case your honor, opposing counsel,
(49:50):
members of the journey, may it please the court follow
the hoods. On August first, Jaylen Williams of Midlands Center
firefighter heard the alarms of the fire station ringing, meaning
that it was time for him to once again risk
his life. With no second thought and no hesitation, he
(50:11):
grabbed his gear and rushed onto the fire truck. And
unfortunately you will learn that that search and rescue mission
did end in one cavity. And on that very day,
Midland's lost a hero and a citizen, the most important,
a family loss of fire. The suns y'all lost, Jay Williams,
(50:40):
there's no regrets in here. That's right, it ain't nothing.
Ain't no regrets be here. I love y'all so much,
and I'm gonna be right in the pews behind you
and crazy show you right when y'all getting up there
and getting I'm gonna be right my little sermon though
(51:02):
in the back of my bulletin. And let's be on
a great shot. Let's pluming the performance. Let's put on
a great case. I don't see where we walking, but
we made a full service back to the bend. And
(51:22):
I thought about that, um I just thought about her
life is a full circle, you know, at the beginning
of life, begin of life, And I thought about our
coaches always say what we need to win, it's already
inside of us what we need to win. It's already here.
That was the begin talking now right now we're at
(51:45):
the end and we're around four. But this is actually
our beginning to get to the next chapter that we
had and we just came back to it. So when
y'all going to that ride, remember everything he needs to
win is already to side you. That's important to y'all.
Don't thank you time. You know, when we need to
(52:07):
be here, we show it and and it ain't any
days and it's coming back full circle. Renee and our
name and i'd be with IMPOSTI I will not say
y'all are younger than me here. Y'all really do inspire me.
(52:29):
But the job I have, the leadership that I have,
the confidence that I have, the struggles album overcoming with
the l set and so much other things. Listen, this
team is a god seeing I'm all all of y'all, everybody,
(52:49):
thank you. I'm just very proud of y'all. Um. I'm
not even as nervous as I was going into regionals.
You know that was my last shot getting out of there,
and now that we're here, I'm just excited for where
we can go. I'm not nervous at all. I have
full confidence in every one of y'all and I'm just
I can't explain how much I'm proud of y'all. So
thank you, thank you, do to all of my face
(53:11):
so we can motified. Yes, his wife has tolt your
eye and um and attitude. Prayer, Father, God, for the
millions of time, we thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, and I cannot stop saying enough
for all that you have done and all that you
will do for this team. Thank you for the God.
As we're going to this national season, I ask that
(53:35):
you watch for everyone on this team. Everyone has given
so much faunt with God. Everyone has lost a part
of themselves to give to this team for us. A
source Tempo. Tell the guys now, if there's anything for
me to ask, please don't be the answering forcing your
don wants son Jason and pro Man. She's good guy. Mike,
(53:56):
your attorney stated, you're facing life in prison. Yeah, I
don't know how much time I got left. But I'm
here for a good time, not a long time. You know.
You're here today testifying on behalf of the prosecution. Yeah,
and the prosecution has offered you a plea do that's
how they told me yet, and that in that plea
deal you may face ten to twenty years right. Yeah,
(54:17):
I'm not sure I'll make it that long, but sure
that's under the condition that you testify against the defendant,
isn't that true? Yeah? They soon said they wanted me
to help help back. And now I want to ask
you about the night in question. You say you saw
someone around twelve o'clock, right, Yes, I did. It was
dark outside, it was it was around me night, but
there were some street lights. They had a hoodie on,
(54:38):
they did. It was a dark hoodie, dark clothes, and
I was surprised it was so hot outside. As a
matter of fact, the hood was up. Isn't that right?
It was he must have been hot. Yeah, you saw
this person for about one second, isn't that correct? Yeah? Yeah,
that sounds about right now as you observed. You said
you were fifty feet away, isn't that right? Give or take? Yes, sir,
(55:00):
you didn't see this person go through the back door
of Chucky's right, No, I did not. You also didn't
see anyone go through the front door. No, I can't
see the front from the back. Thank you, you'renn arrive
nothing further. Now, the defense does not disagree with the
fact that arson indeed was committed in this case. But
what we do disagree with is who did it? Members
(55:23):
of the jury, the burden in today's case, the state's
burdening today's cases proof beyond a reasonable doubt. That must
mean they must prove each of the elements I just
listened to you beyond that reasonable doubt, Members of the jury.
That is the highest burden in our judicial system, and
suffices to say they have failed to meet that burden.
(55:45):
But members of the jury have to ask ourselves who
saw was missing? Didn't see anyone go into or out
of Chuckies missing, didn't see anyone go through the alloy missing,
couldn't even see anyone if they were to have gone
through the front because at the prosecution waited for the
smoke to clear, they would have understood that someone wondering
(56:07):
a random jacket one day with the hood raised upstanding,
not five, not ten, not fifteen, not twenty, but fifty
feet away with the hood raised and the light fall
would have rendered a verdict in today's case of not guilty.
Thank you. So I will begin with the team that
(56:36):
finished with the best record. We had one team finished
with seven wins zero losses in one time. He's team
twelve sixteen. Shall we were ye yeah, yeah yeah, my
(57:44):
chest like I can't, but I send in the evaluation
for so let's let's go get these gos, go get
this trophy. Let's go get her and even not run
out of our Then we want the first shall be last,
and the last I'll be with her. She's a sick
We want first. We would see one first first place.
(58:05):
We want first place, said, come in, come on, come on,
s else. Okay, if this part of the thing is
about to lose, it's gonna be a problem with black
in the front. People want to black everyone not third.
We are. So when we become talking number one of
the names, and I have my songs pick picked out
(58:29):
all the aby and green, nicky, my eyes on per
per per per, let's go because we wipe your mom.
We won. We want, we want, we want all right,
(58:54):
So with that, um, if you all would indulge me,
and we need to do a quick room change. Um,
we're gonna go to room one sixty four, which we
all are familiar with. This right here around the corner,
you can leave if you need so, you can leave
some of your things. So I've heard that this is
possibly your last season. I think is that true? This
is true? How does that make you feel? I mean,
(59:17):
you clearly put more than just to check the box
energy into this. Yeah, it's um, you know, mixed feelings
for sure, I have. I mean, this has been just
really like the blessing of a lifetime. I really have
received so much from being in community with these students,
(59:39):
um or being able to sort of walk along with
them on this part of their journey, and to see
the progress of this team, the collective and then the
individuals who have passed this way. It has just been
the blessing of a lifetime. You know, it is it is.
It's sad. I guess I can use the word said,
I do build some sense of sad. Is maybe maybe
(01:00:01):
bitter sweet? Is it a little bitter sweet? Yeah? Bitter sweet? Um,
Because this has been so much of my life for
you know, fair a fair amount of time. Um, The
thing that is sweet about it is just seeing the growth. Um.
People outside the team on the campus know that, like,
(01:00:21):
oh wow, you're on the motrol team. They know that
that means something serious, Like the team has a reputation
on campus like no, they are serious and they are
good and it means something to them, and it means
something on the campus. And I think we've got, you know,
students who have bought into that to where, um, you
know that will continue beyond this, beyond this year and
(01:00:43):
beyond the season. This is fun. I mean it's you know,
(01:01:08):
it's stressful, but it's fun. I mean, you know, getting
these getting to the break we always tell them that
all we can prepare you for us to break, because
once you're in the breakgrounds, you're always going against the
school that's as good as you are. There's so many variables.
Did right now, we're just all hanging on for the
Ryde that's next time on class Action. Class Action is
(01:01:33):
a production of I Heart Radio and Sound Argument, created, produced, written,
and edited by Kevin Huffman and Lisa Gray. Additional story
production by Jennifer Swan, Jason Foster, and Wendy Nardi. Executive
producers are Taylor Chicogne and Katrina north Bell. Sound design,
(01:01:56):
editing and mixing by Evan Tyre and Taylor Chakoy. This
episode had additional field production by Jason Foster, Davis Land,
Thomas Walsh, and Matt Weimer. For more podcasts from I
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