DBHS MOCK TRIAL IN L.A. COUNTY'S TOP 8 !!
Wednesday, November 15, DBHS Mock Trial’s Defense competed against Claremont High School’s Prosecution. DBHS won the verdict and the competition.
The Top 8 competition will be Monday, November 27, 2023.
It was an exciting day for Mock Trial. They left campus at 11:30 and did a mini-DTLA tour. Lunch at Grand Central Market, a ride up Angel’s Flight, walk to the second floor secret garden at Walt Disney Concert Hall, across to the spitting fountain at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilian where some of them may have gotten wet but it’s okay because it rained on them the whole day anyway.
And, ultimately, the Top 16 round of competition
Defense began the trial with our Pre-trial attorney making the motion to suppress cell phone information gleaned from a possibly unconstitutional search. Julian Medina (captain of the DBHS Colorguard team who has been juggling Colorguard practice, Saturday (award winning) Marching Band competitions and Mock Trial) gave a completely memorized argument that was breathtaking.
Next, Sean Yu delivered a completely memorized, impressively delivered Opening Statement.
Our 3 trial attorneys cross examined the Prosecution witnesses with such skill, it was like watching a movie. Ashley Cha, Natalie Zhou and Sean Yu. Sean has improved so quickly. His mastery of objections is crazy. He was named MVP in Round 2 by the opposing team.
Ashley Cha practices in her sleep. She is imposing, truly! And Natalie Zhou (a beast in FBLA and Science Olympiad), the way she cross-examines the Pros witnesses are likely still shook.
Then our 4 defense witnesses were called.
The defendant is freshman Annie Kung. She’s on the tennis team, had to balance two sets of practices every week. She performed like she’s been doing it for years. The defendant’s law school friend is played by Amaris Yang. But, that night, Amaris, a member of dance team, had to miss our competition to support her Dance Team teammates at dress rehearsal for this week’s dance concert. She did compete in round 2 and was fantastic. This night Amaris’s alternate, freshman Milin Zhu made her way to the witness stand for the first time: animated, articulate, amazing. Forensic Pathologist Sophia Tian, talented soprano in the DBHS choir, is a testifying fiend: technical language, challenging concepts, mesmerizing hand gestures, she’s got it all. Finally, sophomore Cassandra Oh, casually and convincingly points the finger at her own sister as the likely murder suspect.
Tennis team member, freshman Doria Chen mustered up a big voice when she called the court to order and swore in the witnesses as court bailiff.
The performance concluded with a nearly flawless 7-minute closing argument given without notes by Natalie Zhou who was able to edit her closing on the fly to include quotes from that night’s proceedings. It earned her a nearly perfect score and the admiration of the opposing team who ultimately chose her as Defense’s MVP.
It was a great day, a great night.
Next competition, Top 8, Monday, November 27. The Prosecution will be up!
Wednesday, November 15, DBHS Mock Trial’s Defense competed against Claremont High School’s Prosecution. DBHS won the verdict and the competition.
The Top 8 competition will be Monday, November 27, 2023.
It was an exciting day for Mock Trial. They left campus at 11:30 and did a mini-DTLA tour. Lunch at Grand Central Market, a ride up Angel’s Flight, walk to the second floor secret garden at Walt Disney Concert Hall, across to the spitting fountain at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilian where some of them may have gotten wet but it’s okay because it rained on them the whole day anyway.
And, ultimately, the Top 16 round of competition
Defense began the trial with our Pre-trial attorney making the motion to suppress cell phone information gleaned from a possibly unconstitutional search. Julian Medina (captain of the DBHS Colorguard team who has been juggling Colorguard practice, Saturday (award winning) Marching Band competitions and Mock Trial) gave a completely memorized argument that was breathtaking.
Next, Sean Yu delivered a completely memorized, impressively delivered Opening Statement.
Our 3 trial attorneys cross examined the Prosecution witnesses with such skill, it was like watching a movie. Ashley Cha, Natalie Zhou and Sean Yu. Sean has improved so quickly. His mastery of objections is crazy. He was named MVP in Round 2 by the opposing team.
Ashley Cha practices in her sleep. She is imposing, truly! And Natalie Zhou (a beast in FBLA and Science Olympiad), the way she cross-examines the Pros witnesses are likely still shook.
Then our 4 defense witnesses were called.
The defendant is freshman Annie Kung. She’s on the tennis team, had to balance two sets of practices every week. She performed like she’s been doing it for years. The defendant’s law school friend is played by Amaris Yang. But, that night, Amaris, a member of dance team, had to miss our competition to support her Dance Team teammates at dress rehearsal for this week’s dance concert. She did compete in round 2 and was fantastic. This night Amaris’s alternate, freshman Milin Zhu made her way to the witness stand for the first time: animated, articulate, amazing. Forensic Pathologist Sophia Tian, talented soprano in the DBHS choir, is a testifying fiend: technical language, challenging concepts, mesmerizing hand gestures, she’s got it all. Finally, sophomore Cassandra Oh, casually and convincingly points the finger at her own sister as the likely murder suspect.
Tennis team member, freshman Doria Chen mustered up a big voice when she called the court to order and swore in the witnesses as court bailiff.
The performance concluded with a nearly flawless 7-minute closing argument given without notes by Natalie Zhou who was able to edit her closing on the fly to include quotes from that night’s proceedings. It earned her a nearly perfect score and the admiration of the opposing team who ultimately chose her as Defense’s MVP.
It was a great day, a great night.
Next competition, Top 8, Monday, November 27. The Prosecution will be up!