Ep9: Survive and Advance

episode nine, Survive and Advance. Okay, there's this, um, I think this chance. Um, I think people who were on my team for Houston. Remember I pulled you outside. I made you'll do this chance about about this team. So I just wanted to repeat after me and keep the beat like I know we can't. Okay, just repeat after me. It's a very simple, repeat after me. This team, best team, This team is the best team, this team, this strong team, this team, this strong team. Strong. Love my team, my team,

Love my team team, Love my team. Hello, my team, Hello my team. He love my team. You'll come on you. So the season is still shaping up for us. We have commitments already at competitions. UM one will be the University of Alabama, Pace University in New York, the University of Houston, which is a great competition. Yes, it's my cousin's house. When I knew was Houston and I was new is this week, I was like, Yes, we're gonna

we're gonna eat good food. One of these days, we're gonna have some good homely food with my family and we're gonna have fun made you doesn't California much like Arizona. So so today is going well. Um, we are having an opportunity to test some things out. Um also having an opportunity to give some of our remembers a chance

to get more experience. So I hate to say it like this, but it's almost like a vlosity j V model that happens in the screen when you put your very bens, your your best experienced talented people all on one team, almost like a warrior class if you will, I can all star team. Because you want to give yourself the best shot to make it to the championships.

Some of our lesser experienced people are going to be on the team by themselves in the screen, so they're not gonna have you know, the a Maya's lagenis the deandres with them to kind of help hold them up. Alright, defense first, first of you, like Toss, I'll be playing the role of a witness. Um specifically for this round,

I'll be Scotlet Dejon. Um. It's gonna be an interesting witness because we're trying out a new theory and we are contending that somebody else did it, that somebody being me, and so I have to play it off like I didn't do it, but I really know what happened. But it's gonna be fun. I'm excited. Um, good morning. Everyone in My name is Scotlet dejon Well at heart, I am at that and I could play Minia roles. I could be happy, I can be said, I can be hoholier than now, and of course I can get a

little evil to you know, not at all, absolutely. I mean she made bad business decisions, including what she did to me. Um. The renovations were terrible. Everything that Dakoda did really messed things up. And like you said, prior to you saw her walking to the firehouse. Yes, and that's what made you certain that it was missul f At You well, I know for in fact it was her.

I mean it was her, are her business. She would be the only one there at the time, with the exception of me, because you know I know how to move around. That's exactly right, Mr j. Young. You know it was her because she's the only firefighter that you know. I just connected to Chucky's and the firehouse. Well, I wouldn't say the firefighting part was really what gave me the ammunition I needed to know that it was her.

But like I said, when I followed her to the building, followed her out of the building, that kind of thing I made sense. Yes, I was able to tell that she was a firefighter. My name is Audrey. About the last room, I feel really confident about the last time was amazing. You know that thank you, thank you, you know, like it was I'm being so serious. The judges comments, didn't know, just like he said, some good stuff. But like I'm very proud of your clothing you thank you,

thank you. I try to think y'all, the amount of improvement you've shown since like the very first time you gave a clothing, Like when I say exponential, Like no, the way you told the story, like I saw you make the adjudgments that I suggested last night, and it was it was, it was well done. Thank you. Okay. I know earlier I said I was really nervous to

the point of crime. But like after I went through my first direct I know, I know, it was my first cross, I was like so excited, like I felt so comfortable, and I was like, I'm ready to do it again. The Annihilat, Yes, we've given her a line name.

This is the Annihilator speaking because of Katrina. Like, some of my best friends in Houston are from New Orleans, and you know, we see a lot of New Orleans elements and a lot of things that people in Houston do because so much of Houston's population are people who were displaced, you know, from New Orleans. So my dad is the founding minister of the pastor at Joy Cathedral UM in Houston, Texas. You know, people already know who

he is, especially in the church. Everyone knows who he is. Yeah, yeah, yes, they're here. Good morning, day being well aboutself. DeAndre bell Is, My name is Jason, Nice to meet you. Good morning, DeAndre bell Is. My name sir. Come on in, thank you, yes, sir. Uh, Let's walk through Uh. Through the kitchen. We have to make shift. Excuse me, just follow me with make shifts. Since we're still in the COVID environment. I still don't feel comfortable, uh, meeting face to face. I shot at

ten fifty nine, and we're normally done by eleven. My wife will start playing behind the curtain, and then my son and my daughter will give me directions on time and we'll ahead records play and that's it. What time is it? Okay, okay, see the gonna lie. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The umble shall hear that rove and be glad, old magnified. The Lord with me, and let

us exalt his name together. We're grateful and thankful to God that he has allowed us this another day, another hour, another privilege, and another opportunity. Then we might gather before his presence to call upon His holy and righteous name. I'm grateful and thankful to God. We were still in our first home, and so DeAndre was two years old. He grabs a microphone and he starts screaming, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, and his mother says, DeAndre, you're going to be hoarse.

So he screams, and he's preaching. And because he was screaming Jesus so much, he lost his voice. He put his microphone down, drank out of his sippy cup, then put the sippy cup down, picked his microphone back up, and he started continuing. Yes, he's always been very intelligent. We call him wise beyond his years, just because if you hold a conversation with him, even I will have to tell him, okay, dumb that down a little bit. You know, use layman terms with me. I'm your momma,

use layman terms and so. But he's always been been that kid. DeAndre is just he's just always a character. He's always been a character. My head, I hear music. Over my head, I hear music. There must be a God somewhere. And even if your instrument has gotten down to only one string, if you can still make music, you can still red joice because of what God has

done for you. Granted, brothers and sisters, our lives may not line up with the direction that we think they should line up, but all in all, you and I should be able to rejoice that God has given us another chance to get it right. He wanted to be a lawyer. My dad wanted to go to law school, and he was called to preach instead. And it was crazy because over the past summer, he said, DeAndre, it's amazing to me how I couldn't do what I wanted to do. But God has led you to do the thing,

the kind of things that I want to do. And not only that, you've been led to not only be a lawyer, but to preach as well. So now you are doing two fold the things that I am doing. You know, Father God, You've given each of us a distinct and succinct talent. Father God, You've given us each an element of this case that we can argue to the best of our ability. So we thank you for

the God. We thank you for the objections, the rules of evidence, the case, the witnesses, the attorneys, the the openings, the closings that directs the cross as we thank you, Father God, for putting these words in our minds and our hearts and in our souls. Father God, so that we may not only show them who we are, but show them who you are. Father God, you have made this team all that it is, Father God, And so

we thank you once more, Father God. If there's anything I forget to ask, please don't neglect an answering for is in your dollar's son Jesus name, We pray Amen. So today we're celebrating the University of Home Comedy Parade, and so we're all excited about this our first parass from the season. When I say season of the last two years, you know, because of to COVID everything was canceled. So we have a big parade and celebrating the coming back of Gentillion, coming back to the city of New

Orleans and all the kids coming in. Yes, the WiFi pass were the same with the app sign and we're definitely still practicing. Is that to adjust because of home Coming week events, So we're having an extended three hour practice tonight, so we're still doing the work. This weekend is our Regionals tournament. Unfortunately was put online due to COVID nineteen. But um, this is the tournament that decides like if our season is over and not basically if we make it past this will go to like Nationals

and stuff like that. I'm kind of bummed because I really wish you would have been in person, but it is a lot of pressure now because like this is my last shot at it. She's gonna switch out with you. Okay, like you know how on defense, you're on your on defense and Taylor, so can Taylor use yours? Yeah? I thought no, which to DeAndre? Please tell me you got the own flock computer? Okay, where's I Let me put it together. We are putting together ring lights so that

we can have good lighting for the competition. I'm excited because we're ready to We're ready to kick some behind. Can someone test grain sharing please? That's it. The defense is ready to procede your honor first, and are I would like to acknowledge that Dakota Settler is constructively present throughout trial today and it's constructively wearing a red tie. Second. Here on, I'm entering a character events form which both

parties have signed on the chat. In terms of the level of experience collectively, this is the most experienced team that we've had, and so um, this is our very best chance to make it back to the championship, and I like our chances. I was talking to some of them even today. I was like, well, it's our last rodeo, like this, this is it, and um, I would very

much like for them to experience that joy. I mean, you think about you do all of this work, this all this excitement around you know, a piece of plastic essentially, this trophy that you get, but it represents so much more than that, particularly for those students who have been on this team all four years of their college experience. It represents such a huge part of their deal and experience.

They've invested a lot of time, energy, and effort in an activity that they get no academic credit for, they don't get paid for. They've invested a tremendous amount, and I would just love for them to be able to have the experience of making it too the championship before they leave here. So I'm a senior. I'm actually applying to law school right now. I made this document when

I was nineteen years old. I'm twenty one now. Before they were like maybe eighty schools on here, and I've researched every single one until I was able to narrow it down to fifteen. Okay, So in this document, I've listed the institution, the rank of the institution. It was in portant to me that I had some institutions that could take me anywhere I wanted to go, and then I have these schools in green because my pre law advisor thought that I should look into them to see

my chances of getting a full right scholarship. So that's why I have those highlighted. But as far as the schools that I'm applying to UM in one category, as far as where I think I could get the most money is FORDAM Texas A and M Northeastern University of Miami, St. John's and Howard. All of those have great financial aid programs based on my score, and they also have UM a wide variety of individuals that look like me. I

think the diversity is great at the schools. They have great clinics, and I would be happy going to either of them. N YU actually has this great clinic UM by Brian Stevenson who who runs it, and they do

a lot of death penalty work capital punishment cases. And after reading his book Just Mercy and realizing how how we treat people involved in the chrominal justice system, specifically those who were even the death penalty or on death row UM, I was really able to connect with it and not only see the humanity and the people that he was talking about, but I wanted to introduce that concept into the legal field. Even though there are empathetic lawyers,

I don't think there are enough. People always say, UM, well, how can you defend these types of people or these types of people deserve this? And it's really not that simple, So UM, I would love to learn more from him. UM and plus n y U s I think the highest ranked criminal law program in the country. So as far as the schools that I think can open the most doors, those are gonna be Harvard, Columbia, Chicago, n y U, Georgetown, U T Austin, Boston University, University of

Southern California, and Emery. All of those schools have been to rank very highly when it comes to placing students in federal clerkships after after law school, which is a big deal. That's something that I'm interested in and I want the door to be open for me if I

decided to walk through it. But my personal statement is mainly about a time in my life where I felt um that my voice wasn't being heard or that I was suppressing my feelings, and how through mock trial I was able to not only find my voice but realize what I wanted to do. Now that I regained it, I'm gonna trying to find a good part. Okay, here's one paragraph I can read. That same day, I signed up for something called mock trial, thinking I would learn

a few things about speaking effectively. I began sitting in the backup practices and watching the student lawyers argue their cases. My coaches didn't let that fly for too long. They insisted I lead strategy discussions and present every side of the case until I knew the facts of the story like it were my own. The courtroom became the place where I felt the most comfortable. I learned that being a litigator isn't about the objections you make or how

smart you sound. It's about the stories you tell. Usually le how long was yours? And start praying music. I think that's what she's trying to can I can catch a beat. I can catch a beat, But staying on it, that's another story. I feel like a lot of guys in this setup right now, I do that. Okay, I'm

gonna try to do this without crying. No. I was just telling Ms Friesen and some others that my freshman year on the team, I just remember being super nervous and just wanted to cry because I just didn't think I was ready, And then the tears that I have today is not from that place. I'm not anxious at all. I'm excited, and I'm proud of each and every one of y'all and the growth that I've seen on the team. Like I'm not even I'm here to show up one last time for you guys at regionals. But no, I

know that it's been stressful. There's been tension on the team. There's been you know, times or some us wanted to quit and I didn't. I didn't mean to look at nobody in particularly, but you know, I'm just really excited for where you guys are at right now, and I can't wait to come back and be able to judge one of y'all's rounds and and just to see how far y'all have come. Oh Okay, that's it. That's it. Let's let's go in there and kick. But let's just

win and do what we came here to do. Period. Hello, your honor, my name is Amya Ronsic, and alongside my co council DeAndre Cabell, the Second, Hello you, and Renee sime In. Hello your honor, we probably represent the Code Sutcliffe in this matter. And you don't know what debris or evidence they moved away from Jalen And no, I'm not aware I was outside. And you also didn't interview

these officers after your investigation, did you. No, you also didn't require them to write a report about what debris was removed. Relevance and Michael pet was a tragic objection yard into facts not in evidence or testifying to facts not in evidence. You explain your objection, Yes, your honor opposing counsel is eliciting information, hearsay information from an article that has not yet been entered. Okay, I gotta get ready to help him turn off the lights. I'm gonna

stand in my spot. Do you want him to get on yours? Okay? Do the tester DeAndre come back in the room in the back of the room. Um, I have to switch the lights off. Um. DeAndre has a little demonstra if he does. Um for his closing. Because the whole contention is that the witnesses they bought to make an identification possibly couldn't have made it because they claimed somebody in a black in all black with a black hoodie pulled up at a three or fourth angle

with the lights off is obviously this person. So he's gonna go fifty feet away with a black countee on it, We're gonna turn the lights off. Very much as a Hail Mary, your honor, opposing counsel members of the jury, at the beginning of today's trial, you heard my co counsel come before you and tell you that the prosecution

did not wait for the smoke to clear. And now by the end of trial you've seen that before the Chuggy, the smoke of the Chuggy's fire was able to dissipate, before a clear picture of what actually happened on July was made prevalent, before thorough investigation was completed, the prosecution rushed to try and convict my client the code of

Sutcliffe of aggravated arsent. And so don't believe it wait for the smoke too clear, because had the prosecution waited for the smoke to clear, they would have understood that a figure standing not five, not ten, not fifteen, not twenty, not thirty, not forty, but fifty feet away, standing at a three fours angle with a hoodie on their hood raised up and the lights off would have rendered a verdict in today's case of not guilty. Were good were

good time, I'm loving you. I'm yes, Mr Bull that I love here like yes, indeed, that's go with me. That's definitely. Idn't laugh so bad. I'm so lu and I know you choke know no, no, no, was like he started that, I don't keep tabs on. I don't keep tab with that lady. I don't keep that woman. Don getting that on these comics with that judge laughing, am I asked you don't have eyes in the back of your head that he asked, right, I don't even know what lines like. I told this line. I said,

I hate that question. But he loves No, he hate that question. People you just like this, he us, Oh no, he hate that up love That's what I'm like. That was good. That was good. That did That's where happens. That's real. That's real progress for the team. That's really that's real progress for the team because it's growth because certainly, like the trial was great, but the fact that y'all were a flappable, like, that's progress because y'all know how we do. I said, you see this judge is not

here for objection arguments. You see this other team is not really objecting at all, Like I hope we sensed the temperature in the room and adjudge, and I think we did. Historically, Black colleges and universities across the country have been the target of several bomb threats. This year. Dillard University in New Orleans is the latest HBCU to get a bomb threat. Leaders say several law enforcement agencies were called in this morning and they're investor stigating where

this threat came from. Stay with us here at w D s U as we continue to get updates on this developing story. Oh god, the fank is happening around Black his three months right, very much has it's giving. Clan now knows how to use the internet. It's giving. We can't burn crosses anymore, but we can still use a telephone. It's giving. New Grand Wizard is a young person? Shut up because that's very much truly. No. Do you

think they follow Robert's rules of order? At the meeting, they was like somebody was like, okay, um, we have a motion on the floor to do these seven schools this week. Um can I um get a second? Can I get a second? Point of order? Yes, I Grand Wizard recognizes brother Jeffrey. Next point of business. I'm gonna be honest. We've been get bomb threats probably since I was in middle school. Come on now, very much getting old white supresso at this point. If I get bombed,

I'm going to heaven. I've had um very racist experience. My first racist experience in the streetports was in the fourth grade at the elementary school. My grandmother was a cafeteria manager at and the teacher was going around in the circle asking if everybody with their nicknames were and my nickname is KK in my household, and so I said money names KK, And of course she made a joke about the KKK. Me. Yes, she did, in front of a room full of black children. And I went

home laughing about it because I was a kid. I didn't know about the KKK in the fourth grade, you know. And so I go home and telling the joke, nobody's laughing, and they have to sit me down and talk to me about racism. Hey, granny turning it, turn your screen down, so lady, But yeah, perfect, just like that, like the Okay, my name is Carlo Wis Douglas and I am Caitlin douiness food mother. The neighborhood I grew up in was

it was good. It was basically, um, I guess, more like a family or any different families living in that little neighborhood at a little small neighborhood, and everybody got along. We went to school together, and most of them, you know, after they grew up finish high school, they just left and went to the different states. I was attached to her hip all the time. That's my best friend right there. She knows. Um, She's amazing. She's very protective, very supportive.

She's the matriarch of our family. UM. And you know, you guys, you're all were talking to an angel right now. So I meet you all to cherish the moment. And I'm doing because she is literally the reason why I'm still on the earth. You know. I talked to her as I got older about during that time I was having suicidal thoughts as a kid, you know, And it's hard to talk with her about it now because she doesn't want to talk about it, but because it's like

she wanted to protect me. She end up her mother end up transferring her old to the school where I worked at, and about me working there, they would bring her up to your men and I'm like, hey, what are you're doing? And she would tell me this and that not because that was real smart, and I think that was probably it's okay, I'll take your time, okay.

And that was basically it. Before I came to school to do it, to like finish my bachelor's I found all my grandmother and my mom kept very thorough records and documented it all the encounters I ever had in in elementary school. They kept them. And so I sat in the bathroom with the door closed in my grandma's house and I started reading it and I just started crying, like I just I just just crying in control because I just I never understood what our kids were so

cruel to me. And uh, she was good and she grew up to Ben. She just kept going. She never stopped, she never gave up. I mean, she's gonna be become got a Turney and she's gonna be good at the thing and other people, and she's going to always stand up for where she believes in. I am um heavily involved in activism back home in Streeport, Louisiana. Like we just had a police chief. Um stepped down resigned, thank God.

After God knows how long we were protesting this aladerity for George Floyd, but we were really protesting for Tommy mclouthan Junior wade Y Austin Volntation bill, like these people who had been either killed in police custody or murdered and no justice have been solved, like you know what I mean in Streeport, and making sure that people understood that the issues you see on television are happening right now at the local level. So the city of street

Port faces its own issues with police brutality. Therefore, we the people which to create policies that encourage accountability within the street Port Police Department, make sure they serve and protect citizens and ultimately create a better working relationship between the police, government and the public they serve. To construct and implement a Citizens Review Board that is independent from the police department to handle any investigations of crimes involving

law enforcement. Whenever harriful methods are employed, to require SPD applicants to test for a place it racial bias, The creation and implementation of a good neighbor policy which will create immunity for anyone who saves a human being from, but not limited to being put being poe, assaulted, or

murdered by the police. In occorrence with Lauren v. District of Columbia and the duty to Rescue doctrine, we encourage you to accept this challenge and show the world the power we have when we stand this one and fight for justice for all. My grandmother is the person that I can always go to. She really instilled to meet what equity is, what equality is, and how nobody deserves to be mistreated. Everybody deserves to be treated with love and respect. And so you know, Greeny, thank you for that.

I really love you, Bottle with my heart. You always know. I always tell you everything I do is because of you in our family or what our family leans to it. So I love you, Thank you. I love you too. But heyway, I think it were really good yesterday. I think yesterday it was nice. Um. I got called charming by an old white man as my Gilani. I was like, okay, cool, Um, I don't know how to feel about this, but that was nice. Um. I think I think yesterday yesterday it

went pretty good. So um, you know I was telling Yandre this, I said, I think the round three tails us a lot. So the team is going blind this week. And you probably know this because I'm sure you've asked how y'all doing, and nobody knows the answer. We went against uh University of Pennsylvania, Fine School, UM with a very competitive mock trial team. Even their B team is competitive.

I'm regularly makes it to the championship. And so what that tells us is that that was that was the level of competition where we were at this point in the regionals this weekend. So so I'm just saying, let's we're not gonna lay down on round four. It's it's too it's too important. It could be it could be the thing that makes a difference. Your evidence will show that as Chucky's burned and smoldered, the defendant watched as their financial burdens disappeared with the smoke in the air.

And as the prosecution, we believe that in old order to uphold the integrity of our great city, we must hold the defendant accountable for their actions. Imagine with me, if you will, you're on your way to this very courtroom today and you're about to step up off your porch. You look down to the ground and you see that it is wet, there are water droplets on your car, there are water droplets on the grass, and the sky is gray. Now, because of that evid you don't have

to pull off your phone to check the weather. After see it's just rained. You can reasonably conclude it hats. You can apply that scenario to this very case today, Ladies and gentlemen, this was an unreliable investigation. And to top it all off, Detective Weber came to the stand and told you that all of this was unnecessary. You're at this time we would like the publishings of its seventy, which has already been pre entered into evidence to the jury.

This is a report from the five point mutual insurance who owns a fire at policy taken out by the defendant, stating on August two, the day after the fire, the defendant filed a claim for the one point five million dollars and they just denied the claim. And relating to this exact exhibit, we would like to point the court's attention to I just wanted to say, y'all, I know we were frustrated for round two, we were frustrated for round three, but now it's like a new trial. We

put that behind us. Um. I know, as a leader, sometimes it's hard for me to stuff my feelings down and be like, no, we still got this. And y'all obviously saw me break down who during the break but you know, I'm human or whatever or whatever, and I just I think my main thing is not because we did bad or that it was like something that I'm like, I'm doubting you or anything, but it's really I just want to see that everything that we worked for really plays out the way that it should. And I know

I annoyed a lot of y'all this year. I was hounding y'all. I was asking y'all to do things y'all didn't want to do, but I think it was for the greater good. I know it was for the greater good. And I think that it's time to lay it all out on the table for this last round. I have

full confidence that we can take both ballots. So I'm trying not to cry because I like, I did spend an hour on my makeup, But UM, just keep that in mind when there's an objection battle, when another attorney is winning and you're not, when a judge doesn't seem like she's invested to be here. Um, keep that in mind, because our our purpose is greater. We're here to get ten points on everything we do. So that being said, DeAndre, you could just do a quick little prayer and then

we could get started right here. Close your eyes. Then, fatherly comes right now once again saying thank you, Father God, thank you for bringing us us far. And now I ask to your strength, your guidance, your resilience, and your love, your passion, your faith, Father God, so that we use all of that in this last round. Give us the opening, is, give us the closest, give us the victory and all that we seek to do, Father God, for we declare victory right now in the name of Jesus, Father God.

We declare going to ords. We declare going to nationals right now. And so I asked that you make it so far the God Him, the name of Jesus. There's anything I can get to ask, Please don't elect answering, poison your dollar's sun name. We pray man, okay, and we're gonna go ahead with the closing your arguments, this frun said, because how you pronounce it? Yes, your honor, Okay, why don't you go ahead? May it please the court,

opposing counsel members of the jury. On August first, two thousand twenty, Detective Webber responded to a call that Chuggy's Barn restaurant was on fire. He learned that this bar belonged to the defendant and was ensured for one million dollars. And these damages that we've shown you today show you exactly how that fire erupted. We learned that the defendant burned his own her own building for money. But to burn a building for money is a crime here in Midlands,

a crime called aggravated arson. And every witness we brought to you, and every piece of evidence we've shown you, was to prove that the defendant is the woman who committed this crime. We had to prove three elements to you. One that the defendant committed an act of arson with the purpose to defraud, Two that defendant acted knowingly, and three that the defendant created a substantial risk of serious

physical harm to emergency personnel Jalen Williams. We had to prove these three things to you beyond a reasonable doubt, which basically means that by the end of this trial, if you can reasonably conclude that the only person who did this crime was the defendant, and we've done our job. They want you to forget that their family is counting

on us to do what's just. They want you to forget that their family wakes up every single day hoping that they'll see their son again, that they want to believe that this is all a dream, that they cry at the thought of someone else taking over his locker or his seat at the dinner table. Members of the jury, the real victim is not here today. The villain in today's case is the defendant. The defendant is the person with the plan. The defendant is the person with the motive.

The defendant is the person who, the day after the fire, was not even enough time to warned their business requested at one point five million dollars in full. Members of the jury, do what's justin today's case. We've done our job. We've proven these elements to you beyond a reasonable doubt. So now it's your time, your moment, to do what's right in today's case, and to show the defendant that when they burned their building, they can't get away with it.

We must hold them accountable, find them guilty. Thank you, thank you. That's yes, that's they were so good. Oh my god, it was so good. He's good answer they didn't work out, Yeah, okay, i'd best clothing ever like that you have ever done, like ever, like what a when we go out? Oh my god, you de best ever like you cross them. No, it was beautiful, I mean just like perfect. It's really would She's just not

like on that. You want to share your off happily been seeing with the first bit out of original one day kind of record of met Wins two film with seven winnings, a cs of nineteen and a king of plus forty six Team fourteen eighty seven, Dartmouth College cs A sixteen and a half and a pear plus thirty eight Team twelve thirteen. Ps Fight Your Beat our first team in six wins with a c s at sixteen and a half, a p d of plus thirty nine

team twelve six. I oh oh. We're hardly three months into and already our nation has seen a spate of hate crime. Dr kimbro Good, afternoon, Chairman Durbin, ranking Member Grassly, and thank you for the invitation. Members of the Committee on the Judiciary and a Special Louisiana Acknowledgment to Senator Kennedy. My name is Walter Kimber, and I am the president of DIALINGT University in New Orleans. I am in my

eighteenth year as an HBCU president. Since the beginning of January, we have seen an unprecedented number of threats against historically black colleges and universities. For all practical purposes, every HBCU

has been threatened. These threats have disrupted normal operations, causing classes to be canceled or hastily moved online, unseverled students and parents already weary from the two year toll of COVID, and in cities like New Orleans disrupted last fall by a hurricane which left an entire major American city without power for days, these threats take an even heavier toll. We need federal law enforcement agencies to redouble their efforts to catch the wolves. Well look at that so much

excitement coming from Dillard University. This is the more Trial team and they are on the road to National's ladies and gentlemen, and get this, They're going to compete in the opening round Championship series. Out of twenty four teams in the region, Dillard is one of six to advance. Uh, we're gonna go ahead and get started, and I will just for a moment, UM, take just a second to say welcome to everybody. UM, we are really excited to have you all in Memphis. We're really excited to be

here in the courthouse. UM. I did want to just say a couple of things about this courthouse. UM, it is a historic building. You might have recognized some of the spaces in this building. It's been featured in a lot of feature films, UM, including The Firm, The Client, Walk the Line. Basically any legal movie that's been set in Memphis has probably had some filming done here. UM. And uh, we hope that you all enjoy kind of get to getting to live your John Grisham fantasy this weekend.

I made a post to LinkedIn actually last night using the picture that we took on the the courthouse, and I mentioned how the atmosphere of the courthouse was far different than's something I've experienced from mock trial before. The Army Bailey Courthouse is named after a black man, so let's start there. The amount of history that that is held when you have a bunch of black kids standing on the steps of a courthouse named for a black man in the city that is so historic to the

civil rights of black people. Um, it's it's very powerful. So with that we can go ahead and flip the corin Mike have that it is tails. Our next card from the D group is Team twelve sixteen Dillard and from Group A one Northwestern. So those are your first round parents and we're getting the boards made right now that will have room numbers on them. My name is

Anna Eldridge. UM. I am the director of mock Trial and pre law Advising at Rhodes College and we are the tournament host for the Memphis Opening Round Championship Series. So my responsibility was to run the tournament. You know, everybody at this point has already competed in invitation, as they've already competed at regionals, and you know, this is the tournament where you know, everybody in the field is

really strong. Um, the stakes are really high because everybody just really wants to be in that final field of forty eight and the goal is to pick the best six teams out of each field to advance to the final forty eight teams. In a browle, you know, you've got the top six ranked teams in the country that are at this field are in the A group, and some of the teams that are here for the first time, um that have not competed at this tournament before, not

going to nationals before. Teams like Dillard are ranked in in the D group. Uh, they're gonna be matching up against the A group in round one and I think that that's gonna that's gonna make for interesting matchups. And Uh, then as the tournament goes on, we'll keep hitting different teams in different categories to see ultimately who has the highest number of ballots. So how many judges thought you were the better team against each of your opponents. Gotta

rock with you, all right? This team, best team, this team, best team, best, this team, this team, lack team black, this strong team, strong Tea, this team, this sea, strong team. I love my love. I love my team. I love my team, Love my team. I love my team. I love my team. I love my I love my team, I love my team, I love my tea. I love my team, love my tea. I love my love my tea. Let's get in there and do what we came here.

We're by. Let's gonna try the case your honor, opposing counsel, members of the journey, may it please the court follow the hoods. On August first, Jaylen Williams of Midlands Center firefighter heard the alarms of the fire station ringing, meaning that it was time for him to once again risk his life. With no second thought and no hesitation, he grabbed his gear and rushed onto the fire truck. And unfortunately you will learn that that search and rescue mission

did end in one cavity. And on that very day, Midland's lost a hero and a citizen, the most important, a family loss of fire. The suns y'all lost, Jay Williams, there's no regrets in here. That's right, it ain't nothing. Ain't no regrets be here. I love y'all so much, and I'm gonna be right in the pews behind you and crazy show you right when y'all getting up there and getting I'm gonna be right my little sermon though in the back of my bulletin. And let's be on

a great shot. Let's pluming the performance. Let's put on a great case. I don't see where we walking, but we made a full service back to the bend. And I thought about that, um I just thought about her life is a full circle, you know, at the beginning of life, begin of life, And I thought about our coaches always say what we need to win, it's already inside of us what we need to win. It's already here. That was the begin talking now right now we're at

the end and we're around four. But this is actually our beginning to get to the next chapter that we had and we just came back to it. So when y'all going to that ride, remember everything he needs to win is already to side you. That's important to y'all. Don't thank you time. You know, when we need to be here, we show it and and it ain't any days and it's coming back full circle. Renee and our name and i'd be with IMPOSTI I will not say y'all are younger than me here. Y'all really do inspire me.

But the job I have, the leadership that I have, the confidence that I have, the struggles album overcoming with the l set and so much other things. Listen, this team is a god seeing I'm all all of y'all, everybody, thank you. I'm just very proud of y'all. Um. I'm not even as nervous as I was going into regionals. You know that was my last shot getting out of there, and now that we're here, I'm just excited for where

we can go. I'm not nervous at all. I have full confidence in every one of y'all and I'm just I can't explain how much I'm proud of y'all. So thank you, thank you, do to all of my face so we can motified. Yes, his wife has tolt your eye and um and attitude. Prayer, Father, God, for the millions of time, we thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, and I cannot stop saying enough for all that you have done and all that you will do for this team. Thank you for the God.

As we're going to this national season, I ask that you watch for everyone on this team. Everyone has given so much faunt with God. Everyone has lost a part of themselves to give to this team for us. A source Tempo. Tell the guys now, if there's anything for me to ask, please don't be the answering forcing your don wants son Jason and pro Man. She's good guy. Mike, your attorney stated, you're facing life in prison. Yeah, I don't know how much time I got left. But I'm

here for a good time, not a long time. You know. You're here today testifying on behalf of the prosecution. Yeah, and the prosecution has offered you a plea do that's how they told me yet, and that in that plea deal you may face ten to twenty years right. Yeah, I'm not sure I'll make it that long, but sure that's under the condition that you testify against the defendant, isn't that true? Yeah? They soon said they wanted me to help help back. And now I want to ask

you about the night in question. You say you saw someone around twelve o'clock, right, Yes, I did. It was dark outside, it was it was around me night, but there were some street lights. They had a hoodie on, they did. It was a dark hoodie, dark clothes, and I was surprised it was so hot outside. As a matter of fact, the hood was up. Isn't that right? It was he must have been hot. Yeah, you saw this person for about one second, isn't that correct? Yeah? Yeah,

that sounds about right now as you observed. You said you were fifty feet away, isn't that right? Give or take? Yes, sir, you didn't see this person go through the back door of Chucky's right, No, I did not. You also didn't see anyone go through the front door. No, I can't see the front from the back. Thank you, you'renn arrive nothing further. Now, the defense does not disagree with the fact that arson indeed was committed in this case. But

what we do disagree with is who did it? Members of the jury, the burden in today's case, the state's burdening today's cases proof beyond a reasonable doubt. That must mean they must prove each of the elements I just listened to you beyond that reasonable doubt, Members of the jury. That is the highest burden in our judicial system, and suffices to say they have failed to meet that burden. But members of the jury have to ask ourselves who

saw was missing? Didn't see anyone go into or out of Chuckies missing, didn't see anyone go through the alloy missing, couldn't even see anyone if they were to have gone through the front because at the prosecution waited for the smoke to clear, they would have understood that someone wondering a random jacket one day with the hood raised upstanding, not five, not ten, not fifteen, not twenty, but fifty feet away with the hood raised and the light fall

would have rendered a verdict in today's case of not guilty. Thank you. So I will begin with the team that finished with the best record. We had one team finished with seven wins zero losses in one time. He's team twelve sixteen. Shall we were ye yeah, yeah yeah, my chest like I can't, but I send in the evaluation for so let's let's go get these gos, go get this trophy. Let's go get her and even not run out of our Then we want the first shall be last, and the last I'll be with her. She's a sick

We want first. We would see one first first place. We want first place, said, come in, come on, come on, s else. Okay, if this part of the thing is about to lose, it's gonna be a problem with black in the front. People want to black everyone not third. We are. So when we become talking number one of the names, and I have my songs pick picked out all the aby and green, nicky, my eyes on per per per per, let's go because we wipe your mom.

We won. We want, we want, we want all right, So with that, um, if you all would indulge me, and we need to do a quick room change. Um, we're gonna go to room one sixty four, which we all are familiar with. This right here around the corner, you can leave if you need so, you can leave some of your things. So I've heard that this is possibly your last season. I think is that true? This is true? How does that make you feel? I mean, you clearly put more than just to check the box

energy into this. Yeah, it's um, you know, mixed feelings for sure, I have. I mean, this has been just really like the blessing of a lifetime. I really have received so much from being in community with these students, um or being able to sort of walk along with them on this part of their journey, and to see the progress of this team, the collective and then the individuals who have passed this way. It has just been the blessing of a lifetime. You know, it is it is.

It's sad. I guess I can use the word said, I do build some sense of sad. Is maybe maybe bitter sweet? Is it a little bitter sweet? Yeah? Bitter sweet? Um, Because this has been so much of my life for you know, fair a fair amount of time. Um, The thing that is sweet about it is just seeing the growth. Um. People outside the team on the campus know that, like,

oh wow, you're on the motrol team. They know that that means something serious, Like the team has a reputation on campus like no, they are serious and they are good and it means something to them, and it means something on the campus. And I think we've got, you know, students who have bought into that to where, um, you know that will continue beyond this, beyond this year and beyond the season. This is fun. I mean it's you know,

it's stressful, but it's fun. I mean, you know, getting these getting to the break we always tell them that all we can prepare you for us to break, because once you're in the breakgrounds, you're always going against the school that's as good as you are. There's so many variables. Did right now, we're just all hanging on for the Ryde that's next time on class Action. Class Action is a production of I Heart Radio and Sound Argument, created, produced, written,

and edited by Kevin Huffman and Lisa Gray. Additional story production by Jennifer Swan, Jason Foster, and Wendy Nardi. Executive producers are Taylor Chicogne and Katrina north Bell. Sound design, editing and mixing by Evan Tyre and Taylor Chakoy. This episode had additional field production by Jason Foster, Davis Land, Thomas Walsh, and Matt Weimer. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.