Marshall 2nd in State Mock Trial Contest
The 15- to 18-year-old prosecutors and defense attorneys of Marshall High School in Los Feliz took second place last week in the California Mock Trial Championships in Sacramento.
The competition, sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundations, turns teen-agers into courtroom participants in a legal case. This year, the competition featured a First Amendment issue in which a white supremacist wearing a swastika was accused of assault.
For the 17 Marshall students who participated, the competition capped long hours outside of class preparing briefs, going over arguments and studying constitutional law with their government teacher and mock trial coach, David Tokofsky.
“It has been a really incredible experience,” said Michael Lepie, 17, a senior. “It gives you a sense of fulfillment to realize that if you work hard at something you can accomplish great things. Winning would have been nice, but second is excellent.”
Performances were judged by a panel of legal experts, which this year included David Eagleson of the California Supreme Court. First place was won by Riverside Polytechnic School, which will go on to compete in the national finals.
This is the third year Marshall has placed first or second in the state competition, Tokofsky said.
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