STOCKTON — Over the past two weeks, students from 10 San Joaquin County schools participated in a series of proceedings as part of the 2015 Mock Trial competition, an annual event in which students debate fictitious cases before presiding superior court judges.
The event culminated with Saturday’s semifinals and finals, which featured Venture Academy and Tracy High School, two of the county’s perennial powers. In the case of People v. Shem, Venture prevailed by a single point, winning for the sixth time in eight years.
“Both teams were phenomenal,” said Venture coach Spencer Wright, whose team will compete in the state championships March 20-22 in Riverside. “I’m proud of all the kids.”
Mock Trial is a statewide competition sponsored locally by the San Joaquin County Office of Education. Students argue fictitious cases before real judges and attorneys who score the competition.
This year’s competition involved the trial of Evan Shem, who faced one felony count of larceny by theft. Prosecutors alleged that Shem, an art student and an intern for wealthy art collector Marty McCulloch, stole a painting from McCulloch’s mansion during a Fourth of July party. The defense argued that Shem did not steal the painting.
ABLE Charter, Escalon High, Langston Hughes Academy, Lincoln High, McNair High, Pacific Law Academy, Stockton Early College Academy, Tracy High, Venture Academy and Merrill West High participated in this year’s competition.
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