The 20th Annual Statewide Mock Trial finals will be held at the Great Hall of Faneuil Hall on Tuesday, March 29 from 10 a.m. to noon.
MBA members are invited to attend the finals and watch the two semi-finalists compete to be named the state champion. The state champion - Team Massachusetts - will then compete for the national title May 5-7 in Charlotte, N.C.
This year's case involves a bench trial in federal court on a criminal matter. The charges are conspiracy, malicious destruction of property by arson causing death and malicious mischief. The mock case involves a researcher at a federally funded laboratory, who agreed to permit some members of an animal rights organization to enter the facility. During the incident, several animals were released, a fire started and a fellow employee died in the fire. Did the defendant agree to release the animals and damage the facility or did s/he merely agree to allow the individuals in the facility to take pictures and learn the layout so they could free animals from a different facility at a later date? In addition, the defendant raises as a defense that s/he withdrew from the conspiracy in a timely manner.