Orin Smith Elementary third-grade students Isabelle Teeter and Maddy Bradley defend their fellow student in the mock trial for “The Case of the Missing Chromebook” Friday afternoon in Chehalis.
Orin Smith Elementary student judge Ryker Jensen takes the stand as Judge Joel O’Rourke follows with a gavel to aid Jensen.
Judge Joel O’Rourke aids Ryker Jensen as he presides over the mock trial “The Case of the Missing Chromebook” Friday afternoon in Chehalis.
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer helps Orin Smith Elementary student Ryelah Moody deliver the verdict in the mock trial “The Case of the Missing Chromebook” Friday afternoon in Chehalis.
Orin Smith Elementary student Linden Varick serves as a witness in the mock trial “The Case of the Missing Chromebook” Friday afternoon in Chehalis.
The courtroom was filled with murmurs, hushed giggles and students who could barely see over the witness stand.
“Jay, do you understand your constitutional rights?” asked Ryker Jensen, the third-grade student presiding over the case of the missing Chromebook. Jensen held the gavel, but showed restraint in his use of it. His black robe added a sense of gravity to the mock proceeding.
Student Jay Bieker, sitting with his team of attorneys at the defense table, acknowledged that he did. The drama unfolded Friday, not in an episode of “Law and Order: Elementary School,” but as part of a mock trial involving students from Orin Smith Elementary and members of Lewis County’s justice system.
Students worked with members of the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, defense attorneys and a Superior Court judge to solve the fictional theft of a Chromebook from their school.
Bieker — playing the suspect in the faux criminal proceeding — was accused of taking a Chromebook home to complete his homework, which students are not allowed to do. A jury of his peers — literally — decided his fate.
Five years ago, Greg Bluhm — a third-grade teacher in the Chehalis School District — began taking students to Lewis County Superior Court to conduct these mock trials. He teaches students about the roles of the judge, attorneys, defendant and witnesses.
“I had Judge O’Rourke’s son in my class five years ago and then Shane, her husband, suggested we come down to the courthouse and do a trial,” Bluhm said. “The rest is history. We’ve been doing it ever since. Sometimes it’s the case of the missing pencil box, the missing lunch box, something like that.”
This year, students read a story titled “The Trial of Cardigan Jones.” Bluhm explained that it’s about a moose who wears a cardigan sweater and is accused of stealing an apple pie (he’s found innocent).
The students’ mock trial this year was “The Case of the Missing Chromebook,” which two classes from Orin Smith Elementary attempted to solve. Bluhm said he chose this case because students use Chromebooks in class and know the procedures to put them away.
Judge Joely O’Rourke, her husband Shane O’Rourke — who is a partner at the Centralia law firm Buzzard O’Rourke Attorneys at Law — and Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer ran the courtroom.
“It (becomes) a little bigger production every year,” Shane O’Rourke said. “The first year, it was just one class. Then they added two the next four years. Then they started adding the different positions … It’s turned into a pretty polished deal.”
Before the trial began, the three took questions from the classes. One student asked Meyer if it was his job to send people to jail.
“People send themselves to jail,” Meyer said.
As the teachers called students to their afternoon-long careers in local government, the crowd murmured “congratulations” and “good job” as their peers assumed the roles of judge, defense attorneys, prosecutors, defendant, clerk, bailiff, witnesses and jury.
Joely O’Rourke aided student Jensen, who became the judge. Meyer aided the prosecution, while Shane O’Rourke aided the defense.
During the first witness’ testimony, the defense counsel — Maddy Bradley and Isabelle Teeter — interjected with “Objection! Speculation!” The objection was sustained.
Meyer prompted the prosecutors, who by the end of the testimony said the phrase “no further questions” with as much confidence as Meyer. During the closing arguments, Addy Arthurs delivered a final punch.
“It doesn’t matter why he took it, it just matters that he took it,” Arthurs said. “Therefore, we are asking you to find him guilty.”
Ultimately, the jury did not find Bieker guilty.
After the students cleared the room to return to school, Joely O’Rourke, Shane O’Rourke and Meyer noted this trial was the most entertaining part of their day.
“I think they did really well,” Meyer said. “I think it’s neat they’re given the opportunity to come in and see how the court system works. This is kind of an intimidating place to come and I think it’s an important part of the education process that they get to learn about it.”
The Chehalis School District is currently the only district that conducts mock trials at Lewis County Superior Court. Joely O’Rourke noted, however, that they are open to conducting mock trials with more districts.
“It’s a great way to meet the kids and kind of pull back the curtain as to what happens here,” Meyer said. “It’s relaxing for us. We deal with enough serious stuff in a day that this is fun.”
