Hanscom students rule on Law Day

  • Published
  • By Capt. Sean Eaton
  • Assistant Staff Judge Advocate
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Court was in session when the Electronic Systems Center Legal Office celebrated Law Day 2011 on April 29 with a mock trial for Hanscom's fifth grade students.

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

Staff Sgt. Carrie Jordan, dressed as pirate Sallie Two-Guns, stood accused of stealing treasure from the U.S. Government and making threats against the United States on the Internet.

Since Law Day is a celebration of a commitment to equality, justice and the rule of law, Legal Office representatives felt these values are most vividly displayed in a courtroom during a trial.

In order to provide an early understanding and appreciation of these values, the students, guided by attorneys, played the roles of jurors, a prosecutor, a defense attorney and a judge in the mock trial. By providing the students with the opportunity to participate in this way, they saw firsthand how the justice system works, how a courtroom settles disputes and the importance of constitutional rights.

The student-jury convicted Ms. Two-Guns of making threats against the United States from evidence that showed she posted "The U.S. had better give me more treasure or else!" on her Facebook page. Ms. Two-Guns was acquitted of stealing treasure.

After the case concluded, the students discussed the difficultly in determining whether the accused was the actual author of the threats and whether the government had conspired against Ms. Two-Guns in an effort to frame her. One student even inquired why she came into court with only one gun.

The mock trial is an annual event between the ESC Legal Office and Hanscom students, and this marks the 54th consecutive year that Americans have celebrated Law Day.