Students Hear Capital Case Arguments at Ohio Supreme Court

Hands-On Learning Experience Also Portrayed Attorneys' Professionalism A dozen Wilmington College students heard oral arguments in a capital case this week in Columbus at the highest court in the state. PICTURED: Prosecuting attorney David Fornshell (LEFT) and Timothy McKenna, the defense attorney, debriefed Wilmington College students following their oral arguments in a capital case before the Ohio Supreme Court. Students Dr. Sonya Goshe’s Introduction to Criminal Justice course, along with advanced students in psychology, political science and criminal justice who are interested in legal or criminal justice careers, visited the Ohio Supreme Court to experience oral arguments presented in the case of the State of Ohio vs. Austin Gregory Myers. This case is an appeal of a decision rendered by the Warren County Court of Common Pleas. Goshe said the field trip was designed as a hands-on learning experience for her students. "It is one thing to learn about the law as it exists on the books, and quite another to see it in action,” said the assistant professor who holds both a Ph.D. and law degree. “The idea that an attorney would file a motion to suppress a confession elicited by police officers seems abstract until you see the serious implications of that in an actual case, especially a death penalty case like this one,” she said. “If you are an aspiring police officer, you think about how you would have handled that, and if you are an aspiring lawyer, you see how this issue can impact the outcome of a case whether you are a defense attorney or a prosecutor. " Goshe added that one of the most beneficial aspects of the experience was her students’ opportunity to speak afterward with the attorneys arguing the case. “The students were able to see how both prosecutor and defense respected each other, and the role they each played in striving for justice,” she said. “Given how polarized things may seem in our current political atmosphere, watching two professionals on opposite sides of an issue acknowledge each other, empathize with the other's challenges and treat each other with professional respect was perhaps an even more vital ‘hands-on’ lesson."