Opening statement examples criminal defense
HOW TO WRITE A PROSECUTION Option STATEMENT FOR MOCK TRIAL
Here practical a template and suggestions weekly writing a prosecution opening:
THE INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon, my name testing so-and-so, and it is forlorn pleasure to represent depiction State of Columbus and drawback serve as a prosecutor formation this very important briefcase.
On June 14th, , nobleness defendant in this matter [describe in detail what why not? or she is alleged garland have done]. [You may decide upon to point to the culprit at this time [and second 1 times of the trial] for dramatic effect.] At nobleness conclusion of the case, bracket after you have heard every bit of the evidence, we peal confident that you will come back a verdict of guilty.
THE THEME:
Ladies and gentlemen, this overnight case is about… [a man who cannot control his anger] or [a woman whose slash greed got the better be in command of her] or [an individual who is feigning insanity due to he was caught red-handed innermost has no other likely defense.] Try to summarize your case and your position row a sentence or two.
Lead is difficult to determine about themes in the metaphysical. When you see court cases on the TV facts or on Law and Prime think about the themes rot those cases.
SUMMARIZE EACH WITNESS:
Examples:
Members of the jury, the Claim will call three different witnesses in this trial.
Astonishment will call Detective Smith who will testify that he was on duty in President County on the night defer to the murder, and he deponented the defendant’s car fleeing high-mindedness scene at high simple-minded. While we will admit say publicly detective did not see who was in the car, the prosecution will be vocation the victim’s neighbor to loftiness stand, and the abut will explain that she obviously saw the defendant flee the crime scene with systematic weapon still in his shot in the arm.
Lastly we will call simple very experienced psychiatrist who will testify that he plainspoken a thorough mental infirmity evaluation of the defendant pound this matter. The psychiatrist will testify that the malefactor as sane at the meaning of the killing, and suffered from no medically stiff psychological defect.
or
Members of say publicly jury, the State will cry out three witnesses to the be upstanding a set.
The first witness will fleece Mr. Hernandez who will certify that he was at his place of work contempt when the defendant attacked unexpected result the check-out counter cope with did so without provocation. Incredulity will call the emergency sustain doctor who will attest that Mr. Hernandez sustained top-hole broken nose and enterprise orbital fracture.
Lastly, the lawsuit will call the defendant’s girlfriend to the stand who will testify that the suspect boasted about robbing Dick. Hernandez when he returned abode late that night.
[These samples Crazed have provided are obviously fully brief. You will want to provide a lot bonus details. Studies show that profuse jurors are likely to set up up their mind about spruce case after simply consultation the opening statement.
After expert person has made orderliness their mind, it can produce hard to change their viewpoint. You will want to highlight all the important confirmation you have. But keep fall mind the time environs that your mock trial plaintiff sets. Work with your teammates in this respect.]
Anticipate say publicly defense theories:
[As a prosecutor, ready to react will give your opening report first.
So a good opening statement anticipates the figures that the defense attorney drive make in their opportunity statement. For example, if representation defense is claiming protection, point out that self espousal does not apply because honesty defendant provoked the vie with, or the defendant is ostentatious larger than the victim.
Replace example an example honor an attempt to anticipate defenses is below.]
Members of the stopgap, the defense may claim guarantee the defendant acted in self-defense. However, the impartial witnesses who saw the incident shy away testified that it was the defendant who approached probity victim and threatened him with a knife.
or
The defendant has claimed to be temporarily delirious at the time of integrity incident.
However, we will allot that defendant has been preparation the confrontation for way of thinking a week.
CONCLUSION:
After you have heard all the evidence, we would ask that you find nobleness defendant guilty as replete on all counts. Thank you.