Middletown High returns as winner of annual Mock Trial competition
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Middletown High School won the sixth annual Lake County Mock Trial competition, held Monday in Lake County Superior Court.
Since the Lake County Mock Trial began, it has included just two local high school teams – Middletown and Upper Lake. Middletown has held onto the title for all six years.
However, this year organizers and competitors acknowledged that the event was more challenging than in previous years and that both teams put on stellar performances.
The competition involves high school students arguing a criminal case from both sides – the prosecution and defense – while Lake County Superior Court judges volunteer to hear the cases.
This year, the teams argued the fictional case of People v. Davidson, in which Casey Davidson, a resident of the town of Acorn, Calif., was on trial for first degree murder for the death of Alex Thompson, another young resident of Acorn and member of Ultra Nats, an extremist nationalist group.
In the morning session, Judge Andrew Blum presided as Upper Lake took the prosecution role and Middletown was on the defense.
Judge Stephen Hedstrom presided during the afternoon session, when the two teams switched sides – Middletown on prosecution and Upper Lake on defense.
Based on the arguments, Blum ruled that Davidson was not guilty, while Hedstrom found Davidson had committed the murder.
Going into the final judging it was hard to tell which team was leading after watching their courtroom performances. As it turned out, they were nearly neck and neck.
When Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg announced the winner, it was Middletown High School.
In the end, it was a squeaker – Middletown High held onto its title by a mere 33 points to just edge Upper Lake High out of what would have been its first win in the six-year competition.
In the morning session, Upper Lake scored 381 points and Middletown 396, while in the afternoon session Upper Lake scored 393 and Middletown 411. Upper Lake’s total was 774 points to Middletown’s 807.
To the experienced eyes of Blum and Hedstrom – with decades of legal expertise between them – the toughness of the case came through.
Both of the judges lauded the students for their presentations and preparations, and both noted the difficulties inherent in the case the students argued that day.
Hedstrom said he believed this was the best competition by far. He said he and Judge Michael Lunas had discussed the case, which they felt was both the most complex the teams had taken up so far as well as being topical.
Alex Stabiner, one of the Upper Lake coaches, said the students already are looking at how to improve for next year.
“We have a young group that has a lot of energy and determination to win the county competition,” he said, noting eight team members were either freshmen or sophomores.
In addition to recognition for the students, Falkenberg at the event thanked the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College and the Lake County Wine Alliance, which donated $100 and $750, respectively, in support of the competition.
Middletown now advances to the 37th annual California Mock Trial Finals in Orange County next month, where it will be one of 34 counties vying for the state title.
The individual winners and team rosters are below.
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
Prosecution
Pretrial attorney: Miley Turney
Prosecuting attorney: Megan Talbert
Prosecution witness: Henry Fenk
Defense
Pretrial attorney: Kyle Pryor-Landman
Defense attorney: Dimitri Imbrunetti
Defense witness: Alana Sanchez
Bailiff: Kevin Nance
TEAM ROSTERS
Middletown High School
Alexandra Clayton, Abigail Elder, Jaxsun Ehrlich, Henry Fenk, Emily Gallagher, Dimitri Imbrunetti, Erica Kinsel, Anthony Leggitt, Mason Leggitt, Kevin Nance, Jacqueline Pyzer, Kyle Pryor-Landman, Ximena Ramirez, Jack Rarick, Natalie Rodriguez, Mylie Turnet, Jessica Zell
Upper Lake High School
Angelica Ayala, Andrew Brackett, Daniela Estrada, Sierra Galloway, Russel Gordon, Marylin Halvorsen, Jasmine Haro, Jisel Home, Bolonick Ionsun, Anisha Kalan, Benat Love, Alana Sanchez, Emily Stith, Megan Talbert, Jared Thornberry, Lyndsay Wade, Nicholas Warner
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