Mordialloc College Mock Trial

Article (Pre- trial procedures):

On the 1st of September 2024, the students of the Year 10 Criminal Law class began their preparations for the upcoming mock trial, taking place on the 5th of September in Mordialloc College’s Supreme Court. The students started their preparations for the murder case of Mordialloc Crown V Barbaro by applying for roles in the court. After careful consideration by the class teacher, Ms Nikolovski, the students were assigned their roles. The class was divided into defence, prosecution, witnesses, jury, journalist, sketcher, tip staff and accused, with Mr. Read to fill the role of judge, in order to replicate the procedures of the Australian courts.

Once given their roles, the students started their work by sourcing evidence and creating statements to bring on the day of the trial. Furthermore, the defence and prosecution began working on their arguments such as opening statements, while the other students worked on the jobs of their roles. The Judges associate / tipstaff began learning and memorising the oaths and the sketcher practising drawing the courtroom. By participating together, the students are working hard to bring justice to the MS Crown vs Barbaro court case in anticipation of the mock trial in the College's Supreme Court.

The case itself involves 24-year-old Tucker Barbaro, a passionate Taylor Swift hater (played by student Petar Kocic), and 32-year-old Ryan Caruso, an avid fan of Taylor Swift (also known as a 'Swiftie'). The case took place in the February of 2020, on a stormy summer's day, with the unsuspecting victim of a murder case, Ryan Caruso cruising down the roads of the Aspendale/Mordialloc suburbia. The events of this case took place just outside the gates of the local high school, Mordialloc College, where Barbaro (the accused) witnessed Caruso driving past with Swift's famous song ‘Shake it Off’ playing at an "obnoxious volume". Upon hearing his number 1 hated artist, Barbaro's anger and annoyance flared and he couldn't help but shout his frustrations in hopes of provoking the Swiftie. In reaction to hearing that his favourite singer/songwriter and idol "sucks", Caruso immediately took offence to the soon-to-be accused's hatred of Taylor Swift, and his fury at Barbaro causing him to pull over in front of the College to confront the Taylor-hater. In his rage, Caruso had emerged from his car in an aggressive manner and was threateningly wielding a small garden fork, which he had previously kept in his car for when he "feels like doing some spontaneous gardening". Wielding his makeshift weapon, Caruso ran towards Tucker Barbaro. Upon seeing an enraged Caruso sprinting towards him and angrily waving a garden fork, Barbaro believed that the victim was going to stab him with the gardening tool, so Barbaro struck first by pushing Caruso away from himself in hopes of "trying to protect [himself]". However, due to his fear, the accused pushed Caruso "really hard", thus, unfortunately, causing the victim to fall onto the concrete outside of the school, hitting his head on the ground (highly likely causing related injuries, which ultimately led to his untimely death). The accused, shocked at his actions, did not see the victim get back up and instead fled from the scene. As Caruso lay injured on the ground, the clouds swirled angrily in the sky and a bolt of lightning struck the earth, and the victim as well (the type of strike is still to be determined), and thus Caruso sadly passed away. It is reported by expert witness, Mike Winters, that lightning strikes are "one of the most dangerous...weather hazards", which proves the question: what really killed Ryan Caruso?

All will be determined in the Mordialloc College’s Supreme Court trial on September 5th, 2024, stay tuned for the jury’s final verdict.

The trial begins.

On a much anticipated Friday afternoon, the students of Year 10 Criminal Law class became members of the Mordialloc College Supreme Court for the trial of Tucker Barbaro, the accused who allegedly murdered Ryan Caruso. Facing the Supreme Court, 24 year-old Tucker Barbaro, plead not guilty to the death of Caruso, whom he was accused of murdering in February of 2020. Defended by a team of lawyers to prove his innocence, Barbaro claims it was self defence, and that he acted against Caruso in hopes of “trying to protect himself” from physical harm. However, the prosecution created arguments and statements to deny Barbaro’s innocence, but instead prove that he is responsible for the untimely death of Caruso and is, in fact, a murderer. Additionally, the other students of the class formed the jury, who will ultimately decide if Barbaro would walk as a free man, or be found guilty. The trial officially began with the judge setting the court to order and welcoming everyone to the Caruso vs Barbaro trial.

Kicking off the court proceedings, was both the prosecution and defence presenting their opening statements. The prosecution, clearly stating their stance on the trial, demanded that Tucker Barbaro be sentenced for the crime of intentional murder, claiming that if Barbaro hadn’t attacked first, then the death of Caruso would never have occurred. Rebuking these arguments, was the defence, contending that there was no malicious intent in Barbaro’s actions and that he is absolutely not guilty of intentional murder.

After the opening statements, the prosecution called up their first witness, 15 year-old Ella Rivers (played by student Caitlin Curlett) to recount the events of the case. Sworn in by the tip-staff (played by Deanna Berzi), and questioned by the prosecution, it is revealed that Rivers was on a tour of the College when the event took place, and according to Rivers, there was no blood, nor any lightning spotted at the scene. Furthermore, Rivers recounts that Barbaro yelled out to Caruso when he saw him driving past the College with Taylor Swift playing at an “obnoxious volume”, “Taylor sucks! What even is Tay-Tay?”, in a seemingly intentional act to provoke or tease the soon-to-be dead Taylor-Swift fan. However, on cross-examination by the defence (questioned by lawyer, Ethan Simmons), it is exposed that the quote that Rivers recalls hearing does not match the quote stated in the case summary. After the cross-examination by the defence, Rivers was dismissed from the witness box, and the second witness, Lucius Mitchell (senior constable at Moorabbin Police Station, played by student Lucius Carroll - Thurgood) was called up by the prosecution.

Finally after a long drawn out battle, legal representatives made their closing statements before the jury was sent to deliberations.

Stay tuned as we wait for the verdict in next weeks newsletter.

Ella Scott-Cunningham - Year 10

'Mordialloc Supreme Court Journalist'

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