Reaction to the Verdict

Being on the prosecuting side of the trial against Mark Twain was a new, interesting, but tough experience. After listening and participating in the case from start to finish, I have definitely learned to a new extent the linkage between law and Mark Twain's views. In addition to this, I learned more about law than I ever have in one week, and it is definitely something I am now interested in. As the trial progressed, I was more and more surprised of what my classmates are capable of; whether it be acting, public speaking, knowledge of law, or any of the other components present in a mock trial. I was especially surprised of the knowledge everyone gained, especially the lawyers and witnesses. The depth some of the arguments got into was stunning; the fact that this type of project made many realize so much towards a piece of literature shows how beneficial it was. As a whole, I would have to say the opening and closing statements from both sides were the most influential, due to the level of intensity and analysis they went into. As an overall opinion, this trial was a unique learning experience that pushed many participants to strive to do their best and dig deeper and deeper to prove their case.

Personally, I felt that my lawyers and I had a much harder job than the defense, yet we pushed through it and worked great as a team. I also believe that we presented our case in a much more relevant and organized way. When it came to the defensive side, they inevitably had the easier case, due to the fact we discussed Twain's intent toward the book earlier in the unit. If they didn't have the examples we used in class (hint hint wink wink satire and diction), they would have been put in a completely different position. If both sides came into the case with no previous knowledge, it would have been interesting to see how the defense handled the situation. While I do believe it was to some extent not fair the defense had this knowledge, they did a very good job throughout the case. In my opinion, what makes me so proud of my team is that even though we had a tougher case to prove, it seemed that we went into more analysis and pushed further to prove our point. In the long run, this is all that matters to me, because it means I benefited from the experience.

Of course, I am disappointed with the verdict. Before the case even started, I just knew it would rule that way. Before doing all my research for the trial, I sincerely believed Mark Twain had no racist thoughts within him. But as more and more research was found and as the trial progressed, I started to believe in my own case, and that is what drove me to push further and further. It seemed like the defense had most of their research and examples handed to them and had to do barely any work, yet we worked so hard and researched so much. It made me upset that it was a breeze for them to win the case, but I guess that's how law works sometimes. If the jury had less preconceived notions, I truly believe we could have won the case. Listening to their deliberation, it seemed like many of them were basing their vote off of what we learned in class and the book itself; it seemed like the trial didn't even play a part in their decision. Unfortunately, it looked to me like they came into the case with a biased view, knowing they would vote not guilty and thinking they wouldn't have to pay attention to what we had to say. Regardless of the verdict itself, I am proud to say that my team of lawyers and I convinced at least four people of our argument. And regardless of the concept of Mark Twain being a racist, the fact that the prosecuting side and I learned so much from the experience and worked hard for our case makes me a very satisfied "lawyer."