Brutus on Trial

As a final project for The Tragedy of Julius Caesar we are going to put Brutus on trial We are going to pretend that Brutus is captured right after the murder of Caesar and is put on trial for the crime As a class you will represent the different parts of the trial process

Time Line Day One: (Wednesday 3/1) Pick Parts and Start working! Day Two: (Thursday 3/2) Prepare Day Three: (Friday 3/3) Prepare Day Four: (Monday 3/6) Trial Begins Day Five: (Tuesday 3/7) Trial *Of course attendance is mandatory and every day that you are absent will count against your grade, not the grade of the group. No excuses will be accepted if your work is not prepared on time. You will also lose points if I catch you away from your group.

Roles 2 or 3 - Judges 1 - Defendant (Brutus) and 1 Defense Team 3 Lawyers 1 paralegal (doesn’t speak during the trial but keeps notes, etc) 1 - Prosecution Team Witnesses Jury Members

Role: Judge As a judge in this trial, it is imperative that you understand your role and responsibility as judge. The following assignments will help you understand your part in this mock trial. Create a “Court Procedures” document. This document must include: Appropriate vocabulary to be used throughout the trial Objections- how and when to object Court procedure- who goes first, second, etc This document will be given to the lawyers to use throughout the trial You will need to understand the roles of everyone in the courtroom and how to maintain control of the courtroom. The judges also need to come up with a reasonable sentence if the verdict is returned guilty by the jury. Do some research on what sentencing would be appropriate in this type of case. Have this prepared regardless of the verdict.

In preparation for the trial, you will need to research a few memorable trials in the United State’s history. For each trial, read and briefly summarize each case: its reason for going to trial, the arguments used for the prosecution/defense, the verdict, and its effect on the United States (and perhaps its time period) since the case went to trial Plessy vs. Ferguson (1899) Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) Recent trial involving a high school banning (or parents, etc. calling for banning ) Huck Finn

Defense You are responsible for Brutus’ defense. Write a list of questions for each witness. Plan how you will make Brutus appear innocent. Write your opening statement. Include a declaration of Brutus’ innocence. Explain HOW you intend to prove his innocence. What will be your argument? What will you ask each witness? How will you deal with opposing witnesses? Also, write your closing statement. Reiterate how you proved that Brutus is not guilty.

Role: Defense Team As a defense attorney in this trial, it is imperative that you understand your role and responsibility. Each attorney assigned must take part in every part of the assignment. Perhaps one attorney will do the opening statement, one or more attorneys will do the questioning/cross examination, and one attorney will do the closing statement. Your role as the defense is to defend Brutus against murder charges Please take some time to do some research and think about how your witnesses could help present the case that he did not murder Caesar Create questions for the direct examination. These questions will need to be written out in script form, and the witness must also have their answers written out in script form. REMEMBER: The burden of proof rests with the State. You need to create questions that help lead the jury to believe without a reasonable doubt that Brutus did not murder Caesar and just did what he did to help Rome.

Prepare your witnesses for possible questions that the prosecution will ask them during cross examination. Create questions that you will ask of prosecution witnesses during the cross examination. These cross examination questions should be in script form, as well. Develop opening and closing statements. You will turn in your “script” at the end of the trial.

Prosecution You are responsible for getting this murderer off the streets. Write a list of questions for each witness. How will you make Brutus look guilty? Write your opening statement. Include a declaration of Brutus’ guilt. Explain HOW you intend to prove his guilt by showing that he purposely and willfully murdered Caesar. Also, write your closing statement. Reiterate how you proved that Brutus is guilty.

Role: Prosecution As a prosecuting attorney in this trial, it is imperative that you understand your role and responsibility. Each attorney assigned must take part in every part of the assignment. Perhaps one attorney will do the opening statement, one or more attorneys will do the questioning/cross examination, and one attorney will do the closing statement. Your role is as the plaintiff, bringing the charge of murder against Brutus Please take some time to do some research and think about how your witnesses could help present the case that Brutus brutally murdered Caesar Create questions for the direct examination. These questions will need to be written out in script form, and the witness must also have their answers written out in script form. REMEMBER: The burden of proof rests with the State. You need to create questions that help lead the jury to believe without a reasonable doubt that he committed the crime.

Prepare your witnesses for possible questions that the defense will ask them during cross examination. Create questions that you will ask of the defense witnesses during the cross examination. These cross examination questions should be in script form, as well. Develop opening and closing statements. You will turn in your “script” at the end of the trial.

Role: Witnesses You must gather information about your character. Be thorough in your research, you need to answer questions as this person seamlessly. If you do not know the answer, you need to be able to come up with a logical answer that would fit the witness’s life/experiences. Work with the prosecution or defense to create questions for the direct examination. These questions will need to be written out in script form, and the you must also have your answers written out in script form. Prepare for possible questions that the prosecution/defense will ask you during cross examination. Write a paragraph defining your role and how you feel. You must write from the voice of your character. Why does this witness feel the way they feel?

Role: Jury As a juror in this trial, it is imperative that you understand your role and responsibility. Be familiar with the Juror Observation Sheet. Research what it means to meet jury member responsibilities. In preparation for the trial, you will need to research a few memorable verdicts in the United State’s history. For each trial, read and briefly summarize each case and explain why the verdict was controversial. Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird O.J. Simpson in his 1994 Murder Trial C. ________________________________ Deliberate with one another and come up with a verdict appropriate to the trial Create a newspaper/magazine article detailing facts about the trial, gossip, etc. You will each need to write an article about the trial and then put the articles together to form one newspaper.

Now that you know what each part entails let’s choose our roles I will ask you in numerical order to pick what part you would like to play…

Brutus- 2 People Your group is to give Brutus a voice. You want to be found innocent and not go to prison! Members of this group will alternate presenting during the trial. Write a statement of defense. What made you kill Caesar? You may also bring in evidence of your philosophy (stoicism) as a means to defend yourself and your actions. Remember, Brutus does not lie, so keep to his character. Work with the defense and be sure to prepare for the prosecution questions.

Prosecution Lawyers: In Charge of Questions for: Lawyer #1 (opening statement) Lawyer #2 (closing statement)  Hostile Witnesses Friendly Witnesses Brutus

Defense Lawyers: In charge of questioning: Lawyer #1 (opening statement) Lawyer #2 (closing statement) Hostile Witnesses Friendly Witnesses Brutus

Hostile Witnesses- 4 People Antony: Octavius: Calpurnia: Commoner #1:

Hostile Witness Expectations Each member of the group will be assigned a character to be during the trial, but all should investigate the evidence from the text to write up witness statements. Make sure that you rely only on evidence provided in the play. Write an “affidavit” or what each character saw and knows about Brutus (needs to be three paragraphs typed) that makes him look guilty. Write a strategy to make Brutus look guilty. Be sure to try and figure out what questions the opposing side might use against you and how you will react…in character.

Friendly Witnesses- 4 People Cassius: Decius Brutus: Casca:  Commoner #2:

Friendly Witness Expectations Each member of the group will be assigned a character to be during the trial, but all should investigate the evidence from the text to write up witness statements. Make sure that you rely only on evidence provided in the play. Write an “affidavit” or what each character saw and knows about Brutus (needs to be three paragraphs typed) that makes him look innocent. Write a strategy to make Brutus look innocent. Be sure to try and figure out what questions the opposing side might use against you and how you will react…in character.

Jury-10 People As a group, discuss the events leading up to the murder as you understand and interpret them. You are an informed jury, meaning you must be an expert on the events of the play. Each of you is a member of the jury and should write your own statement that illustrates what you already know about the case, the defendant, and the witnesses. You will use this statement later in your deliberations after you have heard the case. You will make your decision based on how well each side presents their case, so you REALLY need to know your facts.

Court Reporter, Defense Leader, Prosecution Leader- 3 People Court Reporter: You are in charge of the jury. Make sure that they are on task and starting to prepare for the trial. You will also take copious notes during the trial. I will look to you as the trial takes place to reiterate information, just as a real court reporter would. Defense Department Leader: You are in charge of the defense team, friendly witnesses, and Brutus. You need to check in with me everyday and I will tell you what to do. Most days you are going to supervise the groups and make sure that they are on task. You will let me know when people do not stay with their groups, and I will take points away from those people. Groups need to come to you with questions before they come to me! Your job is very important, so take it very seriously. Prosecution Department Leader: You are in charge of the prosecution team and the hostile witnesses. You need to check in with me everyday and I will tell you what to do. Most days you are going to supervise the groups and make sure that they are on task. You will let me know when people do not stay with their groups, and I will take points away from those people. Groups need to come to you with questions before they come to me! Your job is very important, so take it very seriously.