Asides

Clinical Psychology Program Offers Unique Courtroom Simulation

Sam Houston State University professionals in the fields of Law and Forensic Psychology joined together to present an experiential learning experience for Clinical Psychology Ph.D. students enrolled in the Forensic Assessment course taught by Dr. Mary Alice Conroy, Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training. In this unique collaboration, Ph.D. students practiced presenting their professional opinions as expert witnesses in a simulated hearing to determine the competency of a criminal defendant to stand trial. Dr. Gene Roberts, Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Student Legal and Mediation Services Center, cross-examined the student expert witnesses.

At the first simulated hearing, Hannah Benemann testified as the forensic expert, while fellow Ph.D. student Hadley McCartin conducted the direct examination. Ms. Benemann began her testimony by explaining the legal standard to determine competency to stand trial. She provided details from her expert report to explain her findings regarding the defendant’s competency. During his cross-examination, Dr. Roberts asked intense questions of the expert in order to provide the Trier of Fact, the Judge, with the most accurate information to make a determination of competency to stand trial.

The process continued with the second simulated hearing in which Alison Concannon was the expert witness and Inneke Vargas handled the direct exam. At the last hearing, the expert witness was Kennedy Anderson, and Sarah Hernandez asked the questions on direct exam. The other three students in the Forensics Psychology course, Brianna Davis, Kayla Spenard, and Aislinn Tansey, will participate in a future simulated hearing.

Dr. Roberts has assisted in this learning experience for the past ten years. At these simulated hearings, Dr. Roberts changes his cross-examination approach for each student so that the entire class is exposed to a gamut of questioning strategies. By both showcasing different techniques to cross-examine an expert witness and providing incisive feedback and advice to each of the Forensic Psychology Ph.D. students, Dr. Roberts hopes to provide the students an idea of what they will experience as an expert witness in forensic psychology.

Many thanks to Dr. Gene Roberts and Dr. Conroy for allowing LEAP students to observe this unique and innovative academic exercise!

FBI Director Christopher Wray: Fighting Crime in the 21st Century

Following a full day of hearing court cases on SHSU’s campus, LEAP students moved their roving classroom to TAMU’s Bush School, where they attended a presentation by FBI Director Chris Wray, a program sponsored jointly by the World Affairs Council and the Bush School at TAMU.

Director Wray offered an interesting tour of the foremost threats to United States safety. According to Wray, the top threats to the United States are China, Iran, Russia, and terrorism, both foreign and domestic. Notably, Wray highlighted the fact that a key to all of these threats is understanding the potential for cybercrime.

This is a double-edged sword, because just as technology allows the “bad guys” more opportunities to hide money (primarily through cryptocurrency), it also offers “more ways to fight the crime.” In short, much of the FBI’s job is trying to maintain technological superiority over people with malignant intentions.

Another focus of the FBI, according to the Director, is the spike in crime in large US cities, as well as the key role that Fentanyl plays in 21st-century crime. Such discussions support the LEAP Center’s mission to show the interconnectedness of things, inasmuch as students will be seeing journalist Ioan Grillo discuss crime and Fentanyl in a World Affairs Council event in a couple of weeks.

Following the event, students had a chance to meet former Director of Counterintelligence for the CIA, Jim Olson, who has been a good friend to LEAP students over the years.

It was a long day, in a busy string of weeks, but it is the type of activity that shows the scaffolding approach to education taken by the LEAP Center. In an eight-day period, LEAP students got to see–and experience–the world, including (1) assisting immigrants with passing the Naturalization Exam in their “Citizenship Preparatory Course,” (2) hearing from the FBI Director, (3) learning from the CIA Director, and (4) attending the 10th Court of Appeals hearings.

Seeing the world through the eyes of others, is a great way to learn, and LEAP students are learning much!

College of Criminal Justice Honors Academic Standouts

More than 200 people attended the College of Criminal Justice’s (COCJ) Honor’s Convocation Ceremony, where the College recognized their best and brightest. Adding poignancy to the event were the many alumni on hand, many of whom had endowed scholarships in memory of loved ones.

Dean Lyons led the proceedings, highlight the many accomplishments of the College and its storied history…

…before turning it over to Associate Dean Danielle Boisvert.

Dean Boisvert then introduced dozens of scholarships and more than 100 students who earned those scholarships, with faculty, staff, and alumni on hand to provide students with plaques and recognition.

The scholarships included numerous undergraduates, one of whom was President of LEAP Ambassadors, Jessica Cuevas.

Ms. Cuevas, in addition to being a Smith-Hutson Scholar, was awarded the O.B. Ellis-J.P. Gibbs Scholarship.

This was an apt scholarship, in that Cuevas occasionally volunteers at the J. Phillips Gibbs “Old Town Theatre,” providing a connection to the scholarship.

Graduate students were also recognized, including many in the Ph.D. program. Students such as Meghan Royle, Jazmin Polacios, and Cristal Hernandez-Avalos were recognized for the had work and accomplishments they have made while in graduate school.

Ed Owens, an SHSU alum and former Deputy Executive Director of TDCJ…

…was also on hand to congratulate Joaquin Padron, who was given the “Edward Glenn Owens” Scholarship.

Owens graduated from SHSU with a Criminal Justice degree, as did his wife, Rissie, who also teaches in the Criminal Justice Department, drawing on her expertise in pardons and paroles to instruct students.

It was a wonderful event, packed with students benefitting from the generosity of alumni, donors, faculty, and staff, and highlighting the best of Sam Houston State University.

All Rise: The 10th Court of Appeals

For the 12th year, the LEAP Center hosted the 10th Court of Appeals, allowing Sam Houston State University students and Huntsville residents to hear three appellate court cases in the Kerper Courtroom. The 10th Court of Appeals out of Waco, TX, which currently consists of Chief Justice Gray, Justice Johnson, and Justice Smith, serves 18 counties in Texas including Walker County.

We had a great showing for the first case, and we were happy to have Judges Moorman and Sorenson on hand to watch the cases.

One of the unusual things about these hearings is that each lawyer has three minutes to describe the facts of the case to the audience, after which they turn to the Justices and begin their formal arguments.

Attorneys have 20 minutes to make their arguments, which judges can interrupt for questions, and the appellant attorney gets a five-minute rebuttal after the appellee attorney has spoken. One of the enjoyable aspects about this year’s iteration of the cases is that we had the chance to sit in the jury box!

The second case, which involved deed restrictions, was unusual in that one of the parties was in the courtroom, as the attorneys argued their case.

After the 11 am hearing, the court was adjourned for lunch where LEAP Students were able to talk with the justices, community members, and even the Court Bailiff. I was lucky enough to be sitting with Justice Smith and Justice Johnson, who discussed their path to law school and their careers prior to being judges. We were able to ask questions about court proceedings and discussed how law enforcement and prosecutors work together. One question that I was excited to have answered was why attorneys always say, “May it please the court” before presenting their argument. Justice Smith informed us that it is a tradition and has no meaning or necessity. He also told us that he always wanted to say “It doesn’t” in response. The lunch was very valuable, allowing students to receive advice about their career paths and talk about their endeavors at school.

Court readjourned at 1:30 pm with another civil matter over a Lady Bird Deed, and the hearing turned out to be what is referred to as a “hot panel.” This Deed was drawn by a husband and wife to give land to the husband’s son. The wife revoked the deed after the husband’s passing and now the question is whether she is able to do that or not. There were a lot of questions asked by the judges and one very interesting point a student made to me after the hearing was the attorneys’ ability to be interrupted, answer the question, and go right back to their original point. This hearing raised a lot of questions about property ownership and intent, which was interesting to hear. At the end of the hearing, audience members were able to ask questions, and we learned much more about the justices, their workload, and the attorneys’ views on their careers.

After the audience and attorneys left, LEAP students were able to get pictures and have their brochures signed by the Justices. We helped clean up and continued to discuss different career paths within the legal profession, specifically discussing staff attorneys.

Thank you to everyone who came out to watch the cases today. Thank you to Chief Justice Gray, Justice Johnson, and Justice Smith for allowing students to have this opportunity and for being so welcoming and helpful to future law students.