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Larry McCord and Associates LLC Provides High School Students the Opportunity to Try a Criminal Case

Mock Trial Competition to be Held April 25 at Wyandanch High School

 

The law office of Larry McCord and Associates LLC has announced that a mock trial competition will take place on April 25 at the Wyandanch High School, located at 54 W. 32nd Street, in the auditorium. The competition begins at 3 p.m. and is being presented by Wyandanch School District’s Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Pless M. Dickerson.

Two teams of six students each will try the case of People v. P.J. Long. The case involves the assault of a young woman in the parking lot of a hip-hop club. The victim and her friend claimed they saw the assailant singing a rap song before the assault and heard the song again while the victim was being beaten by a blunt instrument. Her friend claimed that he was able to identify the attacker by the design on the back of the assailant’s jacket, although he could not see the attacker’s face.

One team will consist of students portraying the victim, the victim’s friend, the arresting police officer and the prosecution. The other team of students will portray the defendant, the defendant’s friend, the nightclub owner, and the defense. Teams will be judged on their performance and overall professionalism, including preparedness, civility, ethics and adherence to the rules. Larry McCord and Associates will provide $1,200 in prizes for the competition.

These students who will be participating in the mock trial competition are currently enrolled in Mr. McCord’s Business Law class at Dowling College as part of a bridge program between Wyandanch High School and Dowling College. Mr. McCord was the Founding President of the Wyandanch High School Parent Teacher Organization and has been one of its executive board members for the past 10 years.

Now in its 31st year, the New York State High School Mock Trial Tournament teaches high school students basic trial practice skills and how to conduct direct and cross examinations, present opening and closing statements, think on their feet and learn the dynamics of a courtroom. It is sponsored by the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Law, Youth and Citizenship and The New York Bar Foundation.