April 23, 2021 : By Jacob Couch - Office of Communications & Public Engagement
The mock trial, held in one of the School of Law’s trial rooms, featured nine third-year law students and 23 forensic science students.
This past weekend, Liberty University’s School of Law and forensic science program held their annual mock trial, a valuable experience that associate law professor Phil Kline and forensic science professor Dr. J. Thomas McClintock claim will help prepare students to become professionals in their respective fields.
The mock trial featured nine third-year law students from Kline’s Advanced Trial Advocacy class and 23 forensic science students enrolled in McClintock’s undergraduate Forensic DNA Analysis class. The fictional case centered on a non-verbal special needs child who was the victim in a sexual assault involving an adult relative. Forensic science students acted as witnesses testifying for the defendant and the prosecution as well as expert witnesses on DNA evidence. Law students served on the prosecution and defense teams.
McClintock said that the outcome of the trial was not the focus.
“I tell them it’s a win-win,” he said. “No one loses in this experience. We don’t care what the outcome is, it’s what you garnish from this whole experience itself.”
“There is so much that is learned through this that I cannot teach them,” Kline added. “Just by taking these students out of the classroom they are put in a position where they must perform. They won’t even know how much they’ve learned until someday they meet situations that they encountered through this type of practice.”
Although the case is not a real one, Kline and McClintock work tirelessly to ensure that the trial is as realistic as possible. From prosecution to defense, as well as how they prepare the students who act as witnesses, the professors aim to offer a life-like courtroom experience.
“My students have to focus on how they are going to present DNA evidence to either exonerate or convict the defendant,” McClintock said.
During the semester, his students prepare for the mock trial as a team.
Although the mock trial case is not a real one, Kline and McClintock work to ensure that the trial is realistic.
“My students also meet outside of class with the attorneys, and they help them with the science,” he said. “They teach them how DNA is important in this case. I think the attorneys were really impressed with the students’ knowledge and ability to communicate. Both sides were really excited about working together. My students are trained to think analytically and what this provided them was exposure to a courtroom trial and it also gave them different insights to the legal process.”
Kline said this event is an excellent opportunity for his law students to practice working with experts from a different field.
“Attorneys don’t have degrees in forensics,” he said. “So they will be requiring the input of an expert on such a level. You see it in so many cases, and learning how to work with those experts and helping them to prepare for being a part of the story and conveying that is a big part of law.”
“Attorneys must be able to see the story from all angles, which always means stepping into the shoes of another person,” Kline added.
Both Kline and McClintock said they look forward to expanding this annual event in the coming years, starting with a staged crime scene that will involve criminal justice students as well as School of Communication and the Arts students who will play the role of media.
Kline said the more hands-on action students are afforded, the better.
“That’s the dream — for students to be engaged at the level where they are going to judges’ houses in the night getting subpoenas and warrants and relaying information to them,” he said. “All of that we hope to do to recreate the real experience and then have the classroom as an enhancement for reviewing what happened.”
Kline joined the School of Law in the spring of 2009. Prior to teaching at the law school, he served in Kansas as the Johnson County District Attorney where he managed over 8,500 criminal cases each year. After completing his studies in political science and public relations, Kline earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas where he served as Associate Editor of the Kansas Law Review and Editor of the Kansas Criminal Justice Review. Kline also served as Kansas Attorney General and has successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.
McClintock is one of the nation’s foremost DNA experts. In 2013, he was named among the top 15 DNA analysts in the country by ForensicColleges.com. He teaches undergraduate classes in forensic sciences and microbiology and a graduate-level course in microbial pathogenesis. McClintock founded DNA Diagnostics, Inc. in 1993, which provides expert DNA advice in criminal and paternity cases. The company also gives seminars and workshops to investigators and law enforcement officials on topics such as presenting DNA evidence in the courtroom, and handling and analyzing evidence. DNA Diagnostics has provided services for nearly 500 cases in 19 states, three Canadian territories, and three European countries. McClintock has provided expertise in high-profile investigations, including the 2008 case of missing Florida toddler Caylee Anthony and the 1985 murders of a Bedford County couple.
The forensic science program regularly offers exercises for hands-on learning opportunities, including simulated crime scene investigations and bioterrorist attacks, where representative from local and national law enforcement and emergency response agencies lend their expertise and guidance to students.
The forensic science program is accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC).
The mock trial, held in one of the School of Law’s trial rooms, featured nine third-year law students and 23 forensic science students.