Mock Trial Opening Speech

This is a prosecution opening speech that I wrote for a mock trial case... There are many other versions, but I think this one's the best..:)

Opening Speech (Prosecution)

Plaintiff Counsel Samuel Seung Min Kim

May it please the court.

A FIVE-SECOND-PAUSE OF DEATHLY SILENCE. That, is precisely the amount of time Ms. Arthurs has given to herself on the morning of June 1^st, 2010.

Picture in your mind a high school newbie teacher. At the very first year of her teacher life, she encounters this naughty kid who always manages to destroy her class atmosphere. He doesn’t listen to her warning to the class to grow up. He doesn’t understand her way of speaking to students, which is to constantly shout “BEHAVE” into the class. His name is Kirwan Rohane.

And on this day of June 1^st 2010, the teacher smells something burning. As soon as she detects the smell, she doesn’t take a second in assuming that this is Rohane’s mischief. She walks toward the desk, but hears Rohane shouting that the test tube is about to explode. So she picks up the tong, but at the same time discovers the handle has been burned to fool her. It’s a trap designed to burn her hands.

She screams out loud. “YOU LITTLE WRETCH.” But before she takes her next move, she takes a pause. A pause that lasted for a grand total of FIVE seconds. Then, she smashes her hand to the face of the “wretch” named Kirwan Rohane.

And today, the prosecution side charges the teacher, her name being Ali Arthurs, for one count: assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to Section 59 of Crimes Act 1900. And it is of our burden, ladies and gentlemen, to prove BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBTS that 1. The defendant has caused Kirwan Rohane an apprehension of an immediate physical harm and 2. The defendant had her full intention in doing such actions.

Now the defense side today doesn’t have to invest a single amount of time trying to prove the kind of “wretch” Kirwan Rohane is. In fact, Mr. Rohane will kindly come up to the witness stand today, and tell you that he has actually received two warnings from the headmaster himself. Tell you that he is not a very good student in school honestly. Tell you that he wasn’t concentrating on the class of June 1^st 2010. Tell you that his actions were actually more than enough to anger Ms. Arthurs.

And after that, Ms. Chris Burnes, Mr. Rohane’s good friend will come up to that witness stand and tell you that in fact Ms. Arthurs isn’t a good science teacher after all. Tell you that simply shouting “Behave” and “Grow up” is all she did to quite her misbehaving students. Tell you that Ms. Arthurs was in fact very angry at Mr. Rohane on that day. Tell you that the blow could be nothing but a deliberate one full of abhorrence towards Mr. Rohane.

And at the end of this trial, when everything’s finished, my co-counsel Sungwoon Si, will come back to you. He will stand at this position, and talk all this through. He will give you REASONS why Ms. Arthurs was thinking of REVENGE and was full of ANGER during that five seconds of UTTER PAUSE. Speak to you that the blow cannot possibly be an accident or a mistake.

Now, before I finish my speech, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to give you a five seconds of UTTER SILENCE, an UTTER PAUSE. Just like the one Ms. Arthurs has given to herself before smashing the face of Mr. Rohane. And during that five second, I ask you to think about basically anything: The lunch you had today, the things you have learned in school, and so on.

And AFTER that thinking, when I say “thank you” and get back to my seat, I want you to REALIZE the amount of thinking you can do for just five seconds of time. The amount of THINKING that the defendant could have done before the moment she took her next move. The amount of DETEST that would have been burning inside the heart of Ms. Arthurs during that FIVE SECONDS OF PAUSE.

(After five seconds of rest)

Thank you.