Throughout the first semester, the Kingswood Oxford Mock Trial Team has been hard at work studying their new case.
Mock Trial, a program designed for high school and college students, simulates a real courtroom environment and exposes students to courtroom procedures, the practice of law, and the art of thinking on their feet. KO has a robust Mock Trial Program, with a state championship under its belt. The program is helmed by English teacher Rachel Heffner-Burns, former English teacher Lynne Levine, and attorney Melinda Rose P ’26, ’22. This year’s team was led by senior two-year Captains Meagan Rose and Ishaan Bafna, along with senior Captains Juliana Chipelo and Daniel Asare.
This year’s case involved an opioid overdose where the victim, Huda Mustiffa, was found dead at her apartment. The accused defendant is Nik Vansteenburg, a co-worker of Ms. Mustiffa and an avid partygoer. The prosecution attempted to prove that Mr. Vansteenburg was involved in the death of Ms. Mustiffa. “This case is definitely one of the more interesting ones, because it’s criminal law,” Juliana said. “It’s been really fun diving into the case and exploring all the evidence.” Since the case was released in September, the team has been meeting every Thursday and even some Sundays.
This year, however, featured two teams. “It’s been a lot of fun having two teams, seeing the veterans competing on a high level and mentoring a brand new team,” Dr. Heffner-Burns said. “It’s exciting seeing a brand new team of mostly freshmen to compete and energize one another while competing.”
The team’s first competition was on Dec. 12, at the New Haven Superior Court. Both teams were
prepared with their arguments and displayed that preparation. Both the prosecution and defense sides of the varsity team won their respective trials against Fairfield Warde School and West Haven High School. The veterans on this side mentioned their experience as a key asset in this trial. “Being a senior, it wasn’t as stressful,” Daniel said. “I was more knowledgeable and more confident. We had better arguments, fact patterns, and judicial proceedings.” Meagan also agreed. “I had more confidence, and that was reflected in my scores,” Meagan said. “That’s a skill that takes years to learn.”
The defense side of KO’s second team also came out with a win against Notre Dame High School. This was especially impressive, given that everyone on this side was competing for the first time. The prosecution side also fought hard against a strong Sacred Heart Greenwich side, ultimately suffering a narrow loss. Despite that result, members learned a lot and gained experience for when they return.
“I thought the chemistry between lawyers and witnesses was really well established, and the rhythm of direct exams was very good,” Dr. Heffner-Burns commented. “Witnesses played their character well while the lawyers were able to pivot, raise successful objections, and explain their rationale.”
KO Mock Trial continues its hard work as they gear up for the next round of competition on Feb. 6, at the New Britain courthouse. Expecting strong competition, the Wyverns are continuing to practice and prepare. The seniors are looking forward to their final year with KO Mock Trial, while the program’s future is bright. “I am very proud of everyone and thrilled to be their coach,” Dr. Heffner-Burns said.
We wish the Wyverns well as they continue their season, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for KO Mock Trial!
