Photo By David San Miguel | U.S. Army Reserve Staff Judge Advocate attorney, Maj. Truman Tinsley, defends the Big...... read more read more
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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - Who would have ever guessed there was much more to the story of the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs.
Students from Terry Sanford High School, here, found out there was indeed much more to the story as U.S. Army Reserve Command Staff Judge Advocate attorneys held a mock trail on Law Day, May 1.
In the case of U.S. v. Big Bad Wolf, students and faculty from the school portrayed the defendant and witnesses during the trial.
According to Lt. Col. William Stephens, USARC deputy staff judge advocate, holding a mock trial on Law Day gives students a chance to see a military trial with a story they know - or think they know.
“As in all cases and in all trials there is always more to the story,” Stephens said. “There is a lot more to the evidence and to the presentation of the case.”
Stephens also said it gives them a look at how different jury panels evaluate testimony and evidence presented in trials.
In the first trial of the day, the B.B. “Big Bad” Wolf was found guilty of murdering two pigs - brothers Larry and Moe - after he “huffed and puffed” and blew their stick and straw houses over then proceeded to “devour them.”
Capt. Brian Cox, government trial counsel, called his first witness, Jacquelyn “Jackie” Smith, the town brick maker, who testified she saw Wolf tear Larry Pig “limb from limb,” a sight that left her visibly shaken on the witness stand. Smith also testified she warned both Larry and Moe to use bricks for their houses but they insisted on using substandard materials that were not wolf-proof.
The most chilling testimony of the day came from Curly Pig, sister of the victims.
She testified after trying to “huff and puff” and blow her brick house down, Wolf tried on three different attempts to lure her from the security of her home in an attempt to eat her.
“The Big Bad Wolf had already devoured my two brothers, Larry and Moe. I was certain that I was next on his menu,” Curly testified.
When those attempts failed, she said Wolf scaled the wall of the house and attempted to gain entry through the chimney.
“But I had a cauldron of water boiling in the fire place to make tea,” Curly testified. “Much to Wolf’s surprise, the steam from the pot shot him out of my chimney.”
On cross-examination, Maj. Truman Tinsley, Wolf’s defense counsel, attempted to prove that Curly Pig actually had premeditation to avenge the deaths of her brothers by boiling Wolf in the chimney.
Testifying on his own behalf, Wolf said it was a case of “mistaken identity” and it was one of his seven siblings who had actually committed the crimes and stalked Curly Pig. But under cross-examination from Cox, Wolf could not come up with a name of the sibling.
After instructions from Lt. Col. James Teixeira, the presiding trial judge, the jury of 12 students reached their guilty verdict in the murders of Larry and Moe. In addition, the jury found Wolf guilty of unlawful entry but not guilty of attempted murder of Curly Pig.
Wolf, who smiled broadly during the reading of the not guilty verdict, was soon wobbly and despondent at the defense table upon hearing the guilty verdicts.
“I thought Curly and I had a bond or something but apparently, it didn’t work out that way,” Wolf said after the trial.
In the second trial of the day, a different jury panel, which heard the same testimony, reached a completely different verdict - not guilty on all counts.
“I was completely surprised,” Stephens said. “But it shows you how testimony can be interpreted and evaluated by different people.”
Stephens thanked the faculty, staff and students of Terry Sanford High School for agreeing to host the Law Day mock trials, especially Robert Griffin, assistant principal, Air Force JROTC, Civics, and A.P. Government-Leadership classes.
| Date Taken: | 05.01.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2014 19:47 |
| Story ID: | 128486 |
| Location: | FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 287 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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