February 23, 2010
For the eighth consecutive year, St. John’s University will host
the Atlantic regional round of this year’s National Intercollegiate
Mock Trial Tournament, which begins later in the week.
The tournament, to be held Friday, February 26 through Sunday,
February 28, will be held at various sites around the Queens campus
of St. John’s.
St. John’s will enter two squads which will include rookie
members and returning veterans from last year’s team which ranked
eleventh in the nation. Those representing the College of
Professional Studies are Hema Aravindakshan; Tahir Boykins; Gary
Dunn; Noha Elnakib; Ricardy Fabre; Lauren McCarroll; Alexis
Patterson; Lisa Rodrigues; Michael Schillinger; and Tarunbir Singh.
Those representing St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
are Xuan Gong; Lawson Huynh; Peter Ozelius; and Michelle
Saney.
Other schools participating are Columbia, Delaware, Fordham,
Pace and Seton Hall universities, the State University of New York
at Stony Brook and the University of Pennsylvania. The teams
finishing in the top eight in the regional round will advance to
the next level, the Opening Round Championship Series, where they
will face universities from around the country.
“We are looking forward to a successful competition once again
this year,” said Professor Bernard Helldorfer, Director of the
Legal Studies Program, who along with Professor Oscar Holt, coaches
the St. John’s team. “Not only are we looking forward to playing
host to the region’s top opponents, but also to competing and
hopefully earning a bid to the national finals,” Helldorfer
added.
The competition simulates real court cases; points are awarded
based on students’ individual performances. This year’s case will
be a homicide trial and will include forensic evidence, expert
testimony and sharp questioning and debating.
High school students from New York City’s five boroughs and
suburban Nassau and Suffolk counties have been invited to attend to
serve as jurors for the competition.
The schedule of trials will be as follows:
- Round 1 Friday, February 26, 4 p.m.
- Round 2 Saturday, February 27, 10
a.m.
- Round 3 Saturday, February 27, 3
p.m.
- Round 4 Sunday, February 28, 10
a.m.
For detailed information, or to arrange media coverage, please
contact Elizabeth Reilly, Associate Director of Media Relations, at
(718) 990-5789 or via electronic mail at ReillyE@stjohns.edu.