Video: THS Prevails Over Coventry In Mock Trial Tournament

It was a high school version of March 'Court' Madness, but this close battle did not take place with a basketball in a gym, rather with persuasive words in an actual courtroom where justice counts the most. 

In the quarterfinals of the 27th Mock Trial State Tournament sponsored by the Rhode Island Legal/Educational Partnership, two 10-person teams from Coventry High School and confronted each other head-on with as many facts as possible to bolster their side on in a fictional case based on true facts.

In a 2-1 split decision, two of three performance judges decided it Tiverton to advances to the tournament semifinals. They now face Toll Gate High School on Monday night, March 28 at 6:45 p.m. at Roger Williams University.

The state of Rhode Island- Coventry High School acting as the prosecution team- was accusing locomotive engineer Parker (Parka) Plunkett of recklessly or intentionally causing the death of Casey Gordon on a count of manslaughter on July 8, 2010, while Plunkett texted on his cell phone while he operated a Metro Light Rail Train.

Both squads had to be sharp to make articulate and persuasive presentations before Workers Compensation Court Judge Edward Sowa Jr., the presiding judge, and the performance (scoring) judges of Rhode Island attorneys, Barbara Margolis, Charles Greenwood and Jeffrey Sowa (son of Justice Sowa).

Making a series of direct and cross examinations with teammates acting as witnesses, attorneys  then tried to clinch the deal for their team with convincing closing arguments.

“This is about getting kids being able to take a case- that’s really an incomplete case- and formulate it in a way that is believable with the facts they have,” said Tiverton advisor Cynthia Fontaine. “It is also all about presentation, how they can present it and how they can formulate objections, too.”

Tiverton and its three lead attorneys- seniors Jeremy Giguere, Mariah Monroe and Ryan Fontaine- pooled together their experience and knowledge in setting the tone for the defense.

Coventry also had a formidable team of lead attorneys, including Caroline Bedard, Steven Comery and Alyssa Quattrucci.

Aaron Comery as Billie Jean Duggan, driver of the car in which Gordon was killed; Erin Blackmar as a police sergeant and Thomas Scappini as an expert in accident studies and research did their best to tilt the judges in favor of the prosecution.

So did Sean Buchanan, Carrie Monroe and Jasmin Giguere in their roles as Tiverton witnesses for the defense as a police officer who arrived immediately at the accident scene; a 15-year-old girl who sat behind Plunkett on the train and an accident reconstruction expert.

The prosecution had to make compelling arguments to show Plunkett should be found guilty in the felony charge after his train collided with the car driven by Duggan, who’d just completed a drug deal, taken “a small amount” of cocaine and tried to elude police before crashing into the train at a high speed.

Tiverton masterfully wove its argument around the “mayhem” they said was caused more by Duggan as he drove away from the police pursuit and by other factors supported by their witnesses and other evidence they presented.

The case was not an easy one, even after having been tried several times before by a total of 32 private and public high school teams. And this one would prove to be just as different as all the other outcomes.

It was not all solemn or serious. Judge Sowa looked bemused when one student ‘attorney’ responded: “Objection confusing.” 

“I have never heard an objection expressed that way in all my years on the bench,” said Sowa, who offered other teaching moments or light-hearted comments on occasion, too.

“This went better than I expected for us on defense today,” said Giguere, number one in his class and headed for Worcester Polytechnic Institute to study computer and electrical engineering next fall. “We had to work real hard and sometimes we had to double up to present our case on both sides during practice.”

Coventry finished with three victories and two losses overall after placing seventh out of the 16 playoff teams. They earlier had posted a victory over Pilgrim HS.

Other Coventry members were Autumn English, rule interpreter; Victoria Cruz, Joseph Williams, Olivia Ducharme, Casey George, Alec Perry and Erin Abraham. The Teacher Coach was Timothy Booker and the Attorney Coach was Bruce Vealey. “This is the farthest we have ever gone,” said Booker. “This is great for a third-year team.”

“Tiverton was really good,” said Coventry junior Caroline Bedard, who presented the opening statement and has been on the team two of the past three years. “We managed to pull it together and did a fantastic job. Through the trials we just kept getting better as the season went on. It took a lot of dedication. We were mostly a cuddly team with each other, but when we had to perform we got really ‘catty’ to the other team.”

Other members of the prevailing Tiverton squad were Daniel Borden and Matt Paquette, rules experts and witness Sarah Lamothe. Serving as volunteer coach and fellow advisor with Fontaine was Gale Gabriel, with assistance from her sons, Justin and Josh.

Tiverton, undefeated thus far in a season that started in October, advances to the semifinals on against Toll Gate High School, which was third during the regular season behind Tiverton. That matchup will be on Monday at 6:45 p.m. at Rogers Williams University.

A coin flip an hour prior to each of the semifinals will determine which side they take and only puts more pressure on to perform well. “We will have to bone up for cross examination whether we are the prosecution or defense,” Fontaine told her excited group.

“As far as I am concerned you are all winners,” said Judge Sowa, as the teams all awaited the ballots and voting of the scoring judges. “The performances so far by the teams have all been superior, better than I can ever remember. The students and coaches are all to be complimented.”

For further information about the case and the ongoing tournament, go to the RILEP website, www.rilep.com.

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