Mock Trial Opening Statement Your Essay

• Length: 4 pages
• Sources: 1
• Subject: Economics
• Type: Essay
• Paper: #94218761
• Related Topics: Search And Seizure, Probable Cause, Ip Address, Problem Statement

Excerpt from Essay :

I want you to put yourself in their shoes and then tell me how you would feel if someone--anyone -- got a hold of your personal information, your private information, your identity, and used that information to buy stuff online. To commit Grand Theft.

Now, the defense is going to try to steer your minds away from the crime that was committed and will tell you that the police were not entitled to use canines in their search for drugs at - school. Of course, we as the state believe 100% in the protection of your rights and freedoms as Americans. We hold strong to the 4th Amendment of the constitution.

But in this case, these children were attending school. A key phrase in this trial is the "reasonable expectation of privacy." You and I have a reasonable expectation of privacy when we are in our own homes, don't we? But every time we enter into a government building -- like a school -- we knowingly surrender just a little of that privacy in order to protect the common good. it's just part of living in a big society.

Legal precedent has also shown us that schools are qualitatively different from our homes. Principals and schools have what the Supreme Court has referred to as "special needs." The "standard for reasonableness is lower than the probable cause requirement for most searches" (New jersey v. TLO p. 20). This is the key to understanding this case, ladies and gentlemen. Schools like Mansfield High have a special role in the community and therefore have special needs. The Supreme Court has found that the "standard for reasonableness is lower than the probable cause requirement for" a search that happens in our homes. We intend to show you in more detail why this is the case, based on several issues the Supreme Court outlined in similar school-related search cases.

Questions for Rory Brosnan

1. Please describe your background and professional experience, Officer Brosnan.

2. How did you find out about the credit card fraud problem in Mansfield, Officer Brosnan?

3. Can you please tell us what you know about credit card fraud, and how you came by that information?

4. To your knowledge, how does a person go about committing credit card fraud? Let's say I was interested in committing credit card fraud. What would I need to know to carry out the crime?

Would you say, in your professional opinion, that a young girl about Madison's age would be capable of committing credit card fraud?

5. How did you start to suspect that the credit card fraud being carried out in Mansfield might be traceable to Mansfield High School?

Can you explain what an IP address is and how that helped you trace the credit card fraud directly to Mansfield High School?

How might Madison have orchestrated credit card fraud while she was working in the school library? Just paint a possible scenario for us.

Please tell us about the digital camera you found in the school library.

Why didn't you obtain a search warrant right off the bat?

Can you please tell us who Devon Wilshire is and why you questioned her?

What did Devon say?

Has a dog sniff ever taken place at Mansfield? Can you please explain how the dig sniff works?

Questions for Devon Wilshire

Hi Devon. Please introduce yourself, tell us your name, your age, where you live and where you attend school.

How do you know the defendant, Madison Casco?

How did you first learn of about all the new things Madison seemed to have acquired?

Where did you think Madison got all those things?

Did you ever meet this Uncle Johnny?

Can you please describe some of those items?

What did your mom say when she say your new MP3 player?

Can you tell me about the Mammon C350 camera? How did you find out about this camera? Why did you want it? How much does it usually cost? How much did Madison offer it for?

Can you tell us the instructions Madison gave you about how to purchase the digital camera?

What happened after you dropped off the money? How…