Judge

Prosecutor

Defence Attorney

Witness

Defendant

Jury Foreperson
Pack A

1. “This court is now in session in the matter of The State v. Jennifer Banks.”
2. “Counsel, please state your appearances for the record.”
3. “Ms Banks, you stand charged with second-degree murder; how do you plead?”
4. “Objection sustained; the witness will answer only what was asked.”
5. “Approach the bench, counsellors.”
6. “Members of the jury, you are to consider only the evidence you hear in this
room.”
7. “The witness will refrain from speculation.”
8. “Jury foreperson, please read the verdict.”
9. “Sentencing will occur next Monday at 10 a.m.”
10. “Court is adjourned.”

Pack B

1. “Your Honor, the State will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant
killed Elsa Lychkoff out of calculated jealousy.”
2. “Let me direct your attention to Exhibit B—the pen recovered from the ferry
deck.”
3. “Isn’t it true, Doctor, that the victim’s head trauma matches the ferry’s rail
height?”
4. “Objection, Your Honor: counsel is badgering the witness.”
5. “Ms Banks was seen following Elsa onto the 8:10 p.m. Hudson ferry, correct?”
6. “No further questions.”
7. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, every shred of evidence points to one person.”
8. “The State rests.”
Pack C

1. “Members of the jury, you will hear how sixteen-year-old sleep-deprived Jennifer
Banks lost touch with reality—she did not form intent.”
2. “Objection, Your Honor: assumes facts not in evidence.”
3. “Doctor, how would 120 hours without sleep impair a teenager’s judgment?”
4. “Miss Banks, did you ever plan to harm Elsa Lychkoff?”
5. “The burden of proof lies with the Prosecution, not with this child.”
6. “We move to reduce the charge to manslaughter based on diminished capacity.”
7. “No further questions at this time.”
8. “Remember, if reasonable doubt exists, you must acquit.”

Pack D

1. “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
2. “I saw Jennifer and Elsa arguing near the upper-deck railing.”
3. “Jennifer looked exhausted—her eyes were glassy and she kept rubbing her
temples.”
4. “I heard Elsa shout, ‘Leave me alone!’ just before the ferry horn sounded.”
5. “Yes, I recognise this silver pen; Jennifer used it for her chess scores.”
6. “After a struggle, Jennifer ran toward the exit crying.”
7. “That is exactly what I witnessed, Your Honor.”
Pack E

1. “Your Honor, I plead not guilty.”

2. “I never meant to hurt Elsa—she was my best friend.”
3. “I hadn’t slept for days; everything felt like a nightmare.”
4. “We argued because I thought she would leave Morewood and I’d be alone.”
5. “When she grabbed my arm, I panicked and pushed her away.”
6. “I heard the splash but didn’t realise she’d fallen.”
7. “I’m so sorry for what happened; I wish I could take it back.”
8. “I understand the charges against me.”

Pack F

1. “Your Honor, the jury requests to review Exhibit C—the ferry security footage.”
2. “We have reached a unanimous verdict.”
3. “We, the jury, find the defendant, Jennifer Banks, guilty of second-degree
murder.”
4. “We recommend that the court consider her age and mental state at sentencing.”
5. “This concludes our duties, Your Honor.”
Act Speaker & Line

ACT I – Opening
1 Bailiff (teacher): “All rise. Court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Taylor presiding.”
Judge: “This court is now in session in the matter of The State v. Jennifer Banks. Counsel,
2
please state your appearances for the record.”
Prosecutor: “Good morning, Your Honor. Assistant District Attorney Kendra Gill for the
3
State, may it please the court.”
4 Defence: “Good morning. Maria Morales, counsel for Ms Banks, may it please the court.”
5 Judge: “Ms Banks, you stand charged with second-degree murder. How do you plead?”
6 Defendant: “Your Honor, I plead not guilty.”
Judge: “Members of the jury, you are to consider only the evidence you hear in this
7
room. Counsel, opening statements.”

ACT II – Opening Statements

Prosecutor: “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, may it please the court, the State will prove
beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant killed Elsa Lychkoff out of calculated jealousy.
8
You will see ferry-deck video, a blood-stained pen, and hear eyewitness testimony placing Ms
Banks at the scene.”
Defence: “Your Honor, may it please the court, members of the jury, you will hear how
sixteen-year-old Jennifer Banks lost touch with reality after six days without sleep and high
9
doses of Provigil. She did not form intent to kill; at most, this is manslaughter born of a psychotic
break. If reasonable doubt remains, the law requires you to acquit.”

ACT III – The State’s Case

10 Prosecutor: “The State calls Mia Park.”
Witness: “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me
11
God.”
12 Prosecutor: “Ms Park, at approximately 8:10 p.m. on 14 April, where were you?”
13 Witness: “On the upper deck of the Hudson ferry.”
14 Prosecutor: “Did you observe the defendant and the victim?”
Witness: “Yes. They were arguing near the railing. Jennifer looked exhausted—her eyes were
15
glassy.”
16 Prosecutor: “Do you recognise this silver pen marked Exhibit B?”
Act Speaker & Line
17 Witness: “Yes, Jennifer used it for her chess scores.”
18 Prosecutor: “What happened next?”
Witness: “I heard Elsa shout, ‘Leave me alone!’ Then there was a struggle, and Elsa went over
19
the rail.”
20 Prosecutor: “No further questions.”

Cross-Examination
Defence: “Ms Park, you say Jennifer looked exhausted. How many hours had you personally
21
seen her awake?”
22 Witness: “Almost the whole week. She bragged she hadn’t slept in five days.”
23 Defence: “Could that lack of sleep impair a teenager’s judgment?”
24 Witness: “I guess so.”
25 Defence: “Thank you. No further questions.”

ACT IV – The Defence’s Case

26 Defence: “The defence calls the defendant, Jennifer Banks.”
27 Defence: “Ms Banks, did you ever plan to harm Elsa Lychkoff?”
28 Defendant: “No. She was my best friend. I just wanted to talk.”
29 Defence: “How long had you been awake?”
30 Defendant: “Almost six days. Everything felt like a nightmare.”
31 Defence: “What, if anything, did you take to stay awake?”
32 Defendant: “Provigil—our school nurse gave it to students preparing for exams.”
33 Defence: “Describe the moment Elsa fell.”
Defendant: “She grabbed my arm; I panicked and pushed. I heard a splash but didn’t realise
34
she’d fallen.”
35 Defence: “Do you regret what happened?”
36 Defendant: “I’m so sorry. I wish I could take it back.”
37 Defence: “The defence rests, Your Honor.”

Cross-Examination by the State

38 Prosecutor: “Ms Banks, the victim’s blood was on your pen. Explain that.”
39 Defendant: “I—I must have scratched her in the struggle.”
Act Speaker & Line
Prosecutor: “Isn’t it true you followed Elsa because you were angry she outranked you
40
academically?”
41 Defence: “Objection, Your Honor—hearsay!”
Judge: “Objection sustained. Counsel, approach the bench.”
42 (Both attorneys step forward; Judge speaks quietly) “Keep your questions to facts in evidence,
Ms Gill.”
43 Prosecutor (returning): “Were you jealous of Elsa’s number-one ranking?”
44 Defendant: “Yes, but I never meant to hurt her.”

45 Prosecutor: “Nothing further.”

ACT V – Closing Arguments

Prosecutor: “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, every shred of evidence—video, pen,
46 eyewitness—points to one person. Jealousy was the motive; the murder was deliberate. Find
the defendant guilty of second-degree murder.”

Defence: “Sleep-deprivation psychosis creates reasonable doubt about intent. Fairness

47
demands a verdict of not guilty—or at least manslaughter.”

ACT VI – Jury Instructions & Verdict

Judge: “Members of the jury, you will now retire to deliberate. If the State has not proved intent
48
beyond a reasonable doubt, you must acquit.”
49 * (Jury confers briefly)
50 Jury Foreperson: “Your Honor, the jury has reached a unanimous verdict.”
51 Judge: “Please read it.”
Jury Foreperson: “We, the jury, find the defendant, Jennifer Banks, guilty of second-
52 degree murder, and we recommend the court consider her age and mental state at
sentencing.”
53 Judge: “Sentencing will occur next Monday at 10 a.m. Court is adjourned.”
54 Bailiff: “All rise.” (gavel)
Law & Order: SVU – “Hothouse” (Season 10, Episode 12)
Concise Case Summary for Your Mock-Trial Lesson

Key element Details

14-year-old math prodigy Elsa Lychkoff is found floating in the Hudson

Victim & discovery
River; autopsy shows she was beaten and dead before entering the water.

Her skimpy clothing and Ukrainian travel record lead detectives Benson &
Early investigation Stabler to suspect sex trafficking; an undercover sting with a trafficker
collapses that theory.

Background & Elsa attended Morewood, an elite “hothouse” boarding school where
pressure cooker students compete ruthlessly for Ivy-League futures. Her father Joseph was
environment violently abusive and treated her as a cash-cow for prize money.

Room-mate Jennifer Banks (IQ 160) seethed over always being ranked
Primary suspect &
#2. Fueled by sleep-deprivation and prescription stimulants handed out on
motive
campus, Jennifer’s jealousy spiralled.

Jennifer followed Elsa onto a rainy Hudson ferry, confronted her, stabbed
Crime sequence her with a pen, smashed her head on the railing, then pushed the body
overboard.

During interrogation and a courtroom breakdown, Jennifer admits the killing;

Confession & mental-
medical evidence shows she had not slept for nearly a week and was
state twist
abusing Provigil, triggering sleep-deprivation psychosis.

Because the murder occurred in New Jersey waters, Jennifer is tried as an

Legal outcome adult—but a plea deal sends her to a juvenile facility for minimum seven
years with mandatory counselling.