Hanscom students rule on Law Day

  • Published
  • By Capt. Sean Eaton
  • Electronic Systems Center Judge Advocate
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Court was in session when the Electronic Systems Center Legal office celebrated Law Day 2012 with its annual mock trial for Hanscom's fifth grade students on April 24.
 
The Law Day theme, "No Courts, No Justice, No Freedom," underscores the importance of the courts and their role in ensuring access to justice for all Americans.

Law Day is a celebration and reaffirmation of the commitment to equality, justice and the rule of law. These values are most vividly displayed in a courtroom during a trial, according to JA officials.

In order to provide an early understanding and appreciation of these values, the students, guided by attorneys, played the roles of jurors, prosecutor, defense attorney and judge in the mock trial.

By providing the students with the opportunity to participate in this way, they were able to see firsthand how the justice system works, how a courtroom settles disputes and the importance of Constitutional rights.

Dressed as buccaneers on the high seas, the cast of paralegals and attorneys alike performed a courtroom role play involving pirate tales of adventure, treasure and, of course, Facebook.

Senior Airman Stephanie Roberts, dressed as a pirate named Sallie Two-Guns, stood accused of stealing treasure from the United States government and making threats against the United States on the internet.

The student-jury convicted Sallie Two-Guns on all counts. The jurors reasoned that the inconsistencies in Two-Guns testimony and the fact that she was, in fact, a pirate was all the evidence they needed to find her guilty.

This marks the 55th consecutive year that Americans have celebrated Law Day. With creative trial scripts like this one, there's just no telling what next year's Law Day will bring.