[156]MTSU MOCK TRIAL ADVOCATES, WITNESSES AMONG TOPS IN NATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 15, 2008EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
MTSU MOCK TRIAL ADVOCATES, WITNESSES AMONG TOPS IN NATION
Dynamic Tournament Performances against National Powers Bode Well for Team

(MURFREESBORO) - MTSU’s mock trial team is off to its fastest start ever, according to the program’s leaders. A team from MTSU placed among the top three of 28 teams that competed in the nation’s first college mock trial tournament of the season at St. Louis University, which was held on October 10-11. Along with the University of Notre Dame and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, MTSU had a 7-1 win-loss record. A team led by junior Daniel Vaughan won both ballots in competition with St. Louis University, Drake University, and the University of Minnesota-Morris, and split ballots with Notre Dame. This year’s problem involves a civil action in a libel case. In a tournament, teams present two rounds on each side of the case, with two scoring judges in each round.Team members Rachel Harmon and Lani Lester distinguished themselves by earning awards as top-ten speakers. Harmon earned 19 of 20 possible points as an attorney on the defense, and Lester earned 20 points as a witness on the same side. Other team members included Austin Purvis, who played an attorney, and Lee Whitwell and Samantha Ferrell, who played witness parts. --more--
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MTSU teams have qualified for the National Championship Tournament for 18 of the last 19 years, but Dr. John R. Vile (Honors College), Brandi Snow (local attorney), and Dr. Amanda DiPaulo (Political Science), team coaches, observe that this is the highest ranking an MTSU team has ever achieved this early in the season. For more information about MTSU’s mock trial program, contact Vile at 615-898-2596 or jvile@mtsu.edu or DiPaulo at 615-898-2135 or dipaolo@mtsu.edu.
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