The Players

The table you see on this page lists everyone in our class, listed according to their assigned role for each of the trials we will conduct.   If you have any questions about what you should be prepared to do for your particular role, please consult the descriptions of each role listed below the table.

The Roles

Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys: As a group you must make a ten minute (maximum) final presentation of your case against or for the accused.  You should assume that all the evidence has already been placed before the jury during the course of the trial and so all the jurors will have looked at each of the documents made available to you.  Be sure that your presentation has a thesis, that the thesis is supported by the evidence, and that you are convincing.   You may elect one member of your group to speak, or may each speak for a few minutes.  No matter what, the judge is going to cut you off at 10 minutes, so plan to speak for no more than 8--that way you won't go over the limit and get cut off.

Judge: As the judge, your role is to keep order in the courtroom, to hold the attorneys to their 10 minute time limit, to instruct the jury prior to their deliberations (including ordering them to ignore evidence mentioned in the attorneys' final arguments that could not possibly exist), and to read the final verdict.

Jury:  As jurors, your role is to read all the evidence made available on this website so you are already familiar with the case, to listen carefully to each group of attorneys, and then to reach a decision based upon the facts.

Pundits:  As our resident punditocracy, you must interpret the trial for us on Friday.  Each of you will have five minutes to summarize what you see as the most important aspects of the trial...evidence that was especially damning, evidence that was ignored, why one side won and the other lost...in short, you are to give us your strongest opinions based upon what you witnessed.

Anachronism Police: We have already discussed anachronism...putting words or ideas from the present into the mouths or minds of actors in the past...and so your role is to keep a sharp eye (and ear) out for any lapses into anachronism by any of the players.  When you see or hear an example, make a note.  You will be called upon on Friday to tell us what you noticed.