ALPHA The Tell-Tale Heart Mock Trial

The tell-tale heart

Mock Trial

Standards:7.1-Cite strong and through textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncerntain. 7.2-Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an executive summary of the text. 7.3-Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as hot the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward resolution.

START

Everyone deserves a fair trial

Court 101

Innocent Until Proven Guilty There is an assumption under the Constitution of the United States that an accused person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. It also states that any accused person has the right to a lawyer to act on their behalf, has the right to an early trial, and the right that the trial should be held in public with a jury and witnesses. The 6th Amendment states that the jury should be impartial. The accused must also be informed of the nature of the charges against them and the identity of who is pressing charges.

How does a court begin?

Court 101

Once the court has been called into session by tbe judge...The Defense Attorney begins his opening statement. The Defense Attornet will speak to both the judge and the jury previewing what will be presented throughout the court case and what witnesses will be presented.

What even happens in court?

Court 101

Once the court has been called into session by tbe judge...The Prosecutor begins her opening statement. The attorney will speak to both the judge and the jury previewing what will be presented throughout the court case and what witnesses will be presented. The jury must use the facts of the case to determine if a person is innocent or guilty.

What even happens in court?

Court 101

Once the court has been called into session by tbe judge...The Prosecutor will call their first witness. The witness will begin an examination. Once the prosecutor is finished with their questioning, the Defense Attorney will begin their questioning called the cross examination. Witnesses must tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Lawyers must pay attention to what the witness says to build each question off of the previous answer.

How does a court trial begin?

Court 101

Two carefree pals (Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield) traveling through Alabama are mistakenly arrested, and charged with murder. Fortunately, one of them has a cousin who's a lawyer - Vincent Gambini (Joe Pesci), a former auto mechanic from Brooklyn who just passed his bar exam after his sixth try. Vinny's never been in court - or in Alabama - and when he arrives with his leather-clad girlfriend (Marisa Tomei in her Oscar® winning Supporting Actress performance), to try his first case, it's a real shock - for him and the Deep South!

Court 101

The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool...

sane or insane?

The narrator should be found not guilty due to his insanity. The narrator clearly has a mental illness that prevents him from distinguishing between fantasy and reality.

The narrator is sane and is guilty of the crime of murder and needs to face consequences for the death of the old man.

INDEX

Trial outline

RESOURCE VIDEOS

Charges

bailiff duties

mock trial script

juror duties

defense evidence

verdict statement

prosecution evidence

jury evidence

witness statement

mock trial questions

defendant's statement

How have you decided?