Chris Archer, president of the Phi Gamma fraternity at Columbus University, is charged with Criminal Homicide and Criminal Hazing in connection with the death of Milan Jackson, a freshman pledging the Gammas. Milan, inspired by her late aunt, endured humiliating and dangerous hazing rituals. Pat Smith, a fellow pledge, will testify about the abuse they faced and how she was hospitalized due to it. The prosecution argues that Archer had a personal grudge against Milan and orchestrated a deadly stunt, telling her to hang the Gamma flag on the clock tower. Milan followed his instructions and fell to her death. Pat Smith claims she witnessed Archer push her.
Novice lawyers in Law II, taught by Mrs. Leeper, are diving into their first trial of the year. By covering civil law in Law I, Law II focuses on criminal law and justice. Mrs. Leeper hand-selected the prosecution and defense to ensure fairness and equal knowledge of the law on both sides.
In the Set 7 trial, the prosecution tries to defend Milan and sentence Mr. Archer. Calvin Akins, Killian Cravener, and Julia Fetter are acting as lawyers.
On the defense, lawyers Coco Tuscano, Reyna Lecas, and Matty Frye work together, trying to prove that Milan’s intoxication was the sole reason for her stumble off the clock tower.
With only four and a half hours to conduct the whole trial, the class got to work. The opening and closing were based on an outline, but the direct and cross-examination scripts were curated by the lawyers.
Lawyers aren’t the only key factor in the case. For each side, three witnesses were allotted to testify. For prosecution, they brought Pat Smith, played by Emma Balega, Dr. Alex Richards, played by Matt Marino, and Tyler Johnson, played by Luke Willochell, to lay the framework of Chris Archer being a bully and a murderer.
The defense’s witnesses were Dean Jesse Thomas, head of the University, played by Sabrina Tuscan, Dr. Jordan Mitchell, played by Gracies Mahanes, and Bryce Hoke as Chris Archer. The dean will testify that Chris Archer has never had hazing allegations against him previously, and he would never cause extreme harm to another Gamma.
The court was set to be in session on Thursday, May 1, and Monday, May 5. The verdict was decided by the end of the day. Chris Archer was found innocent of first-degree murder, the premeditation of killing, but was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, the unlawful killing of another person without the intent to kill or cause harm. Archer was also found guilty of criminal hazing. Each side was happy with the result, not being charged with direct murder, but also charged with the wrongful harm of Milan in the end.
