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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Two teams of talented high school students took to the courtroom this month to argue a hypothetical murder case as part of the annual Mock Trial competition.
The event took place on Friday, Feb. 11, on the fourth floor of the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport.
Now in its 10th year, the competition is run in partnership with the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Lake County Superior Court and Lake County Office of Education.
Competing again this year were teams from Middletown and Upper Lake high schools, with Middletown coming away with the win.
Last year, due to COVID-19, the event was virtual and hosted by the Napa County courthouse.
This year, however, it was back to the courtroom in the Lake County Superior Court.
However, Dana Adams, the Mock Trial coordinator for the Lake County Office of Education, said COVID resulted in this year’s scrimmage being canceled, meaning the teams had a limited amount of practice, “but the teams did a stellar job,” Adams said.
Adams said the students — with the help of volunteer attorney coaches and teachers — prepared arguments, evidence and more for the county competition through Mock Trial classes at their schools.
The Middletown team was assisted by teacher coach Dawnmarie Schneider, and attorney coaches Jon Hopkins and Janina Hoskins.
For Upper Lake, teacher coaches Alex Stabiner and Anna Sabalone, along with attorney coach Judy Conard, worked with the students.
Over the years, all of the court’s judges have taken turns volunteering their time to judge the competition.
This time around, judges J. David Markham and Shanda Harry presided over the competition in the morning and afternoon sessions, respectively.
Middletown and Upper Lake argued the fictional case of People v. Cobey.
The case revolves around Jamie Cobey, a horticulturist living in the community of Burnsley, California, a semi rural town in the high desert.
Cobey is charged with killing landlord and next-door neighbor, Erik Smith, in the most unusual of ways — by placing a rattlesnake in Smith’s mailbox.
Based on the arguments and evidence presented, both Markham and Harry ruled that Cobey was not guilty on all counts.
“Reasonable doubt is a difficult standard to make,” Harry said.
Harry, who wrapped up the day with the students, congratulated them for their passion. “I was very impressed by everyone.”
One of the team members, in turn, thanked Harry and the other adults who helped make the competition possible.
“I had a great time,” Harry said. “This is a great experience for everyone.”
Individual recognition for outstanding students was given to the following students:
• Outstanding prosecuting attorney: Zoey Petrie, Upper Lake High School.
• Outstanding defense attorney: Ellary Isherwood, Middletown High School.
• Outstanding pretrial attorney: Olivia Gallagher, Middletown High School.
• Outstanding defense witness: Brandon Blecman, Middletown High School.
• Outstanding defense witness: Isabella Neylon, Middletown High School.
• Outstanding prosecution witness: Gabriela Neylon, Middletown High School.
• Outstanding prosecution witness: Kenneth Carter, Middletown High School.
• Outstanding clerk/bailiff: Jacob Colecleaser, Upper Lake High School.
Middletown High School will now advance to the 41st annual state competition, which will be held virtually in March.
Two community groups are generously supporting the teams in the state competition, the Lake County Bar Association and Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, Adams said.
Adams said this year’s competition would not have been possible without the support of volunteer court organizers Melissa Perry and Luanne Hayes, Markham and Harry, and volunteer attorney scorers Nicholas Rotow, Megan Lankford, Mary Amodio and Edward Savin.
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