The People

Name____________________________ Period_______

Trial Format

The following is an outline of what will take place during the days of the 1492 Trial. Read through it and make sure you know exactly what is going to happen and when. Ask questions before the trial starts!

Day 1: Trial Opens

 The tribunal will call the first group of defendants up to the stand and read the charges against that group. After the charges are read, the tribunal will ask the defendants... How do you plead?

 The defendant (who will be delivering the opening statement) will say... Your Honors, our client pleads _____________________. (Fill in the blank with GUILTY or INNOCENT.)

 The defendant will then present the group's opening statement (1-2 minutes).

 After the opening statement is presented, the tribunal (acting as prosecutors) will ask the defendant group questions that the defendants must answer. This question/answer session will last 8-10 minutes. Each member of the defendant group must answer an equal number of questions.

 During the opening statement and question/answer period, the defendants (all groups) and the tribunal will be taking notes as needed.

 The remaining four groups of defendants will follow the procedure above.

Days 2 - 3: Trial Continues

 Each of the defendant groups will select witnesses (from other defendant groups) to call to the stand and attempt, through their questioning, to shift responsibility on to the other groups' shoulders (i.e. make the other groups look guilty or more guilty of the crime). Each defendant group has a total of 5-8 minutes to question selected witnesses. Each defendant group must call up at least one witness. All members of each group should have some public speaking role, whether he or she is the attorney conducting the cross-examination or he or she is serving as the witness and answering questions.

 During these cross-examinations, the tribunal members will take notes on each group's testimony to help shape their verdict. Defendants will also be taking notes to use in their answers as witnesses or to help shape their questions as attorneys.

Day 3 (or 4): Trial Concludes

 After any additional cross-examinations, one person from each defendant group will present a closing statement. In this closing statement, the defendant will sum-up the group's arguments and assign what they feel is the appropriate share of the blame for this "crime." (They will do so using percentages.)

 Tribunal

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