MMI Mock Trial team advances to District 2 Championships

The MMI Preparatory School Mock Trial team advanced to the District 2 Championships following semifinal wins by its defense and prosecution units.

Two local students, John Malay and Merci Centrella, are a part of the winning prosecution team.

Pennsylvania's Mock Trial program, now in its 34th year, is one of the largest in the nation. The Statewide Mock Trial Competition is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. MMI competes in Region 5 and its district is comprised of schools from throughout Luzerne and Schuylkill counties.

Each team competes in a real courtroom before an actual judge. The students, who play the roles of lawyers, witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants, are assisted by teacher coaches and lawyer advisers in preparing for competition. Lawyers and community leaders serve as jurors for the mock trials. MMI's Jonathan Smith played the vital role of timekeeper for the prosecution and defense units. A key post given that strict time limits are imposed by competition rules.

This year's hypothetical case was a criminal trial to determine whether the defendant was guilty of committing an act of arson that destroyed an advanced automotive plant.

During the competition, each side presented an opening statement, which informed the judge and jury of the relevant facts, as well as how its theory of the case would be proven. Next, each witness was examined for the facts and knowledge he or she could bring to the case. After the plaintiff/prosecution's three witnesses testified, one of the defense attorneys questioned his or her first witness in a direct examination. The plaintiff/prosecution's attorney then had the opportunity to cross-examine. The same procedure was used for the defense's second and third witnesses.

Finally, the attorneys presented their closing statements, which gave a summation of the theory of the case and the recovery requested. The jury determined the winners in each trial based on the teams' abilities to prepare their cases, present arguments and follow court rules.

John is the son of John and Kathryn Malay of Jim Thorpe, and Merci is the daughter of Lorenzo and Josephine Centrella of Weatherly.