Sixteen students from the University of La Verne College of Law played the roles of prosecutors and defense attorneys in the college\u2019s first Closing Argument Competition this semester. The event, sponsored by the Public Interest Law Foundation, tested students\u2019 skills by having them present closing arguments in a criminal case to a mock jury composed of university faculty and attorneys from the community.<\/p>\n
Students presented arguments in a case that involved two men who got into a fight outside of a restaurant.<\/p>\n
Four students \u2013 Micah Carter, Vania Caro, Zachary Mehr, and Holliann Morro \u2013 advanced to the championship round.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision was so close,\u201d said Khristopher Crumby, the law student who organized the competition. \u201cWe had six judges and they were deadlocked.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the end, a first-place plaque and a $200 scholarship went to Carter. Judges awarded a second-place plaque and a $150 scholarship to Mehr.<\/p>\n
Crumby was inspired to create the competition at the College of Law after he participated in a similar competition over the summer hosted by the Riverside County District Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
Crumby, one of 45 participants from around the world, placed fifth in that contest and his classmate, Veronica Rivas, came in first.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a very humbling experience,\u201d he said. \u201cIt really brought out the best in me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crumby, who wants to become a prosecutor, said he hopes the competition becomes a tradition on campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that we know how to do it, hopefully in the future we can open this up into a full-blown competition where we\u2019re inviting other schools,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s the ultimate goal.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
16 students from the College of Law played the roles of prosecutors and defense attorneys in the college\u2019s first Closing Argument Competition this semester.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":7244,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1549,283,4814],"tags":[227],"class_list":["post-7243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-events","category-students","category-laverne-edu-news-university-campus-life","tag-col","ulv_author-university-of-la-verne","legacy_tags-closing-argument-competition","legacy_tags-col","legacy_tags-college-of-law-and-public-service","legacy_tags-la-verne-law","legacy_tags-riverside-county-district-attorneys-office"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n