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2023

In Defense of the Windshield Murderer

By Alanis Rodriguez,
Chisholm Trail High School

In late October 2021, Jefferson Doyle was hit by a car that was driven by Arlo Key. Before this, Key had taken an Ether pill, distorting his perception of time and the senses. He then went to the club PB&J after an eight-hour shift as a nurse aide. In the club, he drank alcohol and smoked marijuana, further distorting his senses. As he drove home, Key hit Doyle, causing Doyle to get stuck on his windshield. Key then drove home and kept his car in the garage. An anonymous tip led the police to Key’s home, where Key broke down in tears and admitted to killing Doyle in a written statement.

When deciding who is guilty in trial case, there are two groups diligently fighting to prove their point. The prosecution proves that the person accused of the crime is guilty. Meanwhile, the defense proves that the person accused of the crime is innocent. Ultimately, the judge must determine the defendant’s guilt.
Throughout the rounds, the defense claimed that since Key had taken in drugs, alcohol and was sleep deprived because of his shift, that he did not knowingly intend to cause the death of Doyle. The defense used teamwork and a catchphrase to diminish the prosecutor’s argument.
“Out of sight, out of mind, and out of time,” said Eva Wesley as she started her opening statement. This phrase was used in court to catch the court’s attention in a concise catchphrase and prove Key’s unstable state while inebriated. Wesley and her co-council, Ibenehita Eguakhide, made sure to emphasize the drugs Key took and the serious, debilitating affect it had on him, along with the sleep deprivation.
“I was using Google, and [it told me to] repeat three things, like in a sequence,” Wesley explained. “And then she [Eguakhide] came up with ideas on how to plug everything in and connect the entire trial to those three elements.” The two worked together to create a strong and effective argument that eventually paid off, as the judge determined that Key was not guilty in just their first round of the day.
Key found not guilty in murder trial.

Prosecution, Defense Strategies Vary in Arlo Key Trial

By Joelle Henry,
Chisholm Trail High School

As people say “there are two sides to every story.” In court, this statement applies in the same way. For cases in court, the prosecution presents facts to the jurors and judges to incline the result that the prosecutors want.

In the mock trial “the windshield murderer”, Arlo Key, a nurse aide, killed a homeless man named Jefferson Doyle while under the influence on October 6th, 2021. As the story goes, the defendant, Arlo Key, went out to a bar with family and friends, but before arriving to the bar Arlo went to their friend’s house and took a narcotic and was not in the right state of mind. After many drinks at the bar that night, Arlo was driven home by a friend but got back into his car highly intoxicated to take a drive. During that drive Arlo, in an inebriated state of mind, and as an occurrence of their reckless driving, they hit and killed a homeless man, Jefferson Doyle.  

In a state of panic, the defendant took the body, which is tampering with evidence, and hid the body in the garage until they dumped the body in a nearby park. The case went cold for a couple of months until an anonymous tip was given to the police saying that Arlo Key was the murderer. A prosecutor’s job is to find the defendant, which in this case, Arlo Key, guilty of murder and tampering with evidence. After seeing different versions of the case, it can be concluded that every prosecutor has a different way to approach witnesses and the defense.

Regardless of the outcome of the case, it’s interesting to hear what prosecutors do to prepare themselves, and what type of strategies they use. Charles VanScoy, from YMCA of Greater Williamson County, was one prosecutor interviewed about strategies for words and comments that they might have been using during the trial.

“We really tried to base everything factually. We wanted everything to be like based in the affidavit, so it is less objectionable,” VanScoy said, who also acknowledged areas for improvement. “We were pretty disorganized,” VanScoy said, “so we probably lost some points on decorum. I think my opening was pretty good. And his closing work was good, but I think we can improve the directs by adding more evidence.”

Arnav Koppala was another prosecutor, from NorthPark YMCA, who shared ideas and strategies that were used on trial. “On the prosecution side, we truly believe that the substance abuse did not affect her decision making, because it’s integral for the prosecution,” Koppala said,” that we meet the burden of proof and for failure to stop and render aid that goes under the felony for felony murder. Whereas, on the defense, we’re trying to show there’s doubt in the prosecution’s case.” 

“Prosecution is proving their point of to the court, and they use multiple strategies to do so. I take time and practice to polish statements and evidence, for every case prosecution may have.”

Arlo Key is tried after killing a homeless man while driving under the influence of narcotics.

Do First-Time Drug Users Deserve Leniency?

By Syrah Omar,
Chisholm Trail High School

Exposure to drugs could lead a victim down a shadow-casted path. The less fortunate never escape this path, leading to a life controlled by their addiction. In the trial case “The Windshield Murderer”, the defendant Arlo Key has taken the life of another while under the influence of intoxicants and drugs. Among the drugs consumed by Key is ether, a drug that can cause disorientation and hallucinations. As a first-time user of ether, the effects of this drug were new to Arlo. A question emerges: if a law were enacted that lightened the punishment for first-time users of a certain drug, how would this change the court verdict?

“I think that people always deserve second chances,” said Catherine Masey, a Judicial delegate who served as a judge. Individuals who consume a certain drug for the first time may underestimate the effects and potential development of addiction. The effects that result from the intake of these substances may also be heightened as a surprise factor is included within the experience. Delegate Masey emphasizes the difficulty of the case, especially when drugs and their influence must be considered when making a final decision.

From a defense attorney’s point of view, “leniency”, as described by the judicial delegate Eva Wesley, is what would have been given if the law was enacted. However, his innocence would not only stem from Key’s new experience with this drug, but also the environment surrounding him. Ibenehita, a Judicial delegate who also played the role of defense attorney in the same trial, stresses the unfairness of his situation from a personal perspective of what is morally correct. She elaborates, “Putting yourself in Arlo Key’s shoes, it almost wasn’t fair. His friends, Avery Beasley especially, was familiar with the effects of ether, and Arlo should never have been left alone.”

The dangers of drugs were shown in the trial case of “The Windshield Murderer” in the form of death. With cases that display similar outcomes that result from drug and substance intake, the question still remains: what justifications must be made to deem drugs as non-influential to a court’s verdict?

 

Court case considers leniency for first-time drug offender.

SAF Proposal Seeks to Expand Access to Thought-Provoking Literature

By Zuly Noriega,
Duncanville High School

Literature covers a wide variety of topics, and the reader is the keeper of the key to the knowledge literature provides. But this isn’t always true when discussing student readers. Rules and restrictions have always been meant to protect and benefit individuals, however shielding students from reading about life obstacles and knowledge in society such as racism, LGBTQ+ representation, gender inequality, religion, and sexual assault does the exact opposite.

Books discussing these topics are often banned or highly restricted in Texas schools, thus stopping the expansion and the knowledge to prepare students for real-world situations. These limitations of literature enforced onto students are what have inspired the State Affairs Forum (SAF) delegates Aanika Dewan and Krrish Patel to propose an opportunity to lift restrictions on books that expose students to societal situations. For Example, “Drama” by Raina Telgemeier, which includes LGBTQ+ representation, and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephan Chbosky discuss sexual assault. When interviewing delegate Aanika, she was asked what her motivation was and she responded, “I tutor kids who love to read, and I believe kids my age should be educated on the topics that are being banned.” Aankika intends to achieve this with her and her partners’ proposal. 

When observing SAF Committee Room 5, delegates Aanika and Krrish, who believe students should have access to all literature, presented their proposal (#104), which tackles this issue by suggesting the course of action of allowing the parents to grant permission regarding the literature content for their child through an online form that is given out every school semester. If permission is granted, students can access books of their choosing, gain freedom and expand their knowledge.

During the pros and cons section, some delegates appreciated the idea but opposed this proposal because they found it ineffective in situations where the parents don’t approve. During an interview with delegate Krish, he was asked what his response to the cons side opinion about the proposal, and he responded, “It is ultimately the parents’ decision, and the online form isn’t meant to be forced.” In addition, con delegates discussed their view that students can always access any book they would like on the internet. In response to this, delegates Aankia and Krrish state, “Not all students have internet access at home.” On the other hand, many delegates such as Crystal Zamora promoted this proposal because of the awareness it brings to serious issues like racism and sexual assault. 

Overall restrictions on topics seen as inappropriate have, for the longest time, taken away the freedom, diversity, and knowledge of students. The attempts of delegates Annika and Krrish’s proposal strives to break this ongoing cycle and give students the opportunity and inclusivity of everyday societal topics. Students can only wish that SAF delegates believe in this proposal and its potential for Texas students’ literature access in the future to come. 

Delegates propose expanding access to books on controversial subjects.

Judicial Witnesses Draw on Emotions to Win Their Case

By Maryfer Garcia,
Chisholm Trail High School

In the Judicial section, there are many things that go into being a witness. This ranges from the delegates’ interest in the character, the understanding of who they are playing, and the dedication put into their role as a witness. Witnesses all have different approaches to getting their point across and helping their teams.

Being a witness requires much thought about what to say in order to achieve your goal. In some cases, the witnesses try to convey emotions they are feeling, while in other cases, there is a need to be logical and well-versed in areas that need much learning and investigating.

“I think that because he’s a detective I had to get that he is a power of authority,” said Evelyn Choi, a first-year YG student. “I just had to find a way to answer the question without giving the response that they really needed. I think that took the most practice to get around that.” In a confident way, Choi was able to join her fellow delegates in joy as they won the round two trial case.

In the opposite case, there are witnesses that require more emotion to be able to truly get their point across. Some witnesses study the emotions and relay their message through their tone, facial expressions, and body language. “Because this is a sad case, sometimes the cross-examiners (CX) ask a lot of questions that have sad endings,” Nanda Acherya said. ”I just lower my voice a little. I change my expressions, and my strategy is to just go with the flow, go with the moments. If I’m starting off happy I might not end happy. I might be sad. And if I’m starting sad, I might end up happy. That’s my strategy, just to change my facial expressions and go with the flow,” Acherya said, after achieving the first win of the day in her round one trial.

While Choi was on the prosecution’s side and Acharya was on the defense side, they both came to the agreement that when portraying a witness “you can’t just read the affidavit” Choi said. ”You have to go into the evidence you have to analyze it just like your attorneys do.” At the end of the day, all of the witnesses used their understanding of the characters, along with the emotions and logic, to better portray their side of the story.

An attorney questions a witness in a court case

Impact of Youth and Government

By Lilly Salcedo,
Duncanville High School

Youth and Government is a prestigious competition in which young delegates practice the formality of our government system in classrooms. The idea of Youth and Government was created to help reform our society to create change for the better. This program has helped inspire young delegates to consider devoting their livelihood to careers in public service and help the citizens across our country. 

“It’s definitely given me a larger scale to think on,” says Izzy Ryals from Belton New Tech High School. “I know I want to go into a law career and things like that, so I see this as me getting more involved.” This comment made by the Appeals Court member shows just how important an organization like this can be. Youth and Government not only allows for the students to be a part of a community but to grow and make society more efficient and fair. 

While watching State Affairs Forum committees take place, this theme of community and growth was prominent in the environment. “I had no interest in politics whatsoever, but this has been a lot more fun than I thought it would be,” Thomas Goa from SAF said. “I am really glad that I took the opportunity to come here and get to present about real world problems.” Growth has been a clear part of his experience as a delegate and many others here at the Renaissance Hotel in the Arboretum section of Austin. 

This organization also exposes these young students to different ways debate issues. “I do think I would enjoy politics,” State Affairs Forum member Aanika Dewan said. “It’s fun to debate!” This Youth and Government organization may seem small and inadequate as an academic sport. However, all around the members are not only loving what they do, but are inspired to continue this path. 

Youth and Government has become one of the most powerful organizations a school can host because of the wave of productive youth it helps generate. These groups of outspoken and thoughtful youth are becoming more powerful by having the inspiration and drive that Youth and Government has given each and every delegate.   

Youth and Government students debate their legislative proposals.

Legislative Section Draws Students from All Backgrounds

By Nora Kelly,
Liberal Arts & Sciences Academy

There are countless reasons that people join the legislative section of Youth and Government, from expanding connections to learning details about how laws are created, presented, and passed. Nicolas Gallego, a clerk for his committee this morning, joined Youth and Government because of his previous exposure to the legislature from a young age. 

“I chose to join the lege because it was something my father did. He was a state representative for a long long time,” Gallego said. “I always thought what he did was fun, so I figured this was a good way for me to get as close to that as I could.” 

Will Bolduc has been competing in lege for four years now and enjoys being able to be a chair and govern over committee debates. Joining Youth and Government was the first step for him to gain hands-on experience in lawmaking procedures. 

“I thought it would be really interesting to learn more about the legislature and the intricacies of how laws are made,” Bolduc said. “My favorite part is getting to debate the highly controversial bills every conference.”

Conference schedules are busy with back to back meetings from the morning to the afternoon. The morning session is used to determine what bills will be presented to the full house in the afternoon. 

“Lege starts every morning split into committees of about 15 people. In each committee, each person’s bill is debated and voted on” Bolduc said. “After committee, we move to the full house debate where we debate a select few bills from the ones that were passed in committee.”

Each participant in the section writes their own bills, arguing about something they are passionate about. They spend the year tweaking them to make as presentable as possible to the full house. 

“My bill is about implementing a harsher punishment for police brutality,” Gallego said “because that is something that I believe is important, especially after everything that has happened these last few years.”

Youth and Government’s legislative section is a good first stepping stone that allows those interested in public policy to test their interest in the procedure. It teaches people real life skills that they will carry for the rest of their lives. 

“I’ve learned a lot about how bills are made and how to research laws, and also a good bit about legislative procedure,” Bolduc said. “If I ever do go into public policy, this experience will be invaluable for writing and shaping real laws.”

The laid back culture of Youth and Government provides students an environment to be comfortable with other high school students so they are more likely to speak their minds about the issues that mean the most to them. 

“My favorite part about being in the legislative branch is debating public policy, because I find most of them to be fascinating,” Gallego said “I’ve definitely felt comfortable enough in Youth and Government to learn how to use my voice to get people’s attention over the years and make my opinion heard.”

Both interested in pursuing a career in politics and public affairs, Bolduc and Gallego have found their home in the legislative branch. Both of them, as well as everyone else in lege, enjoy the opportunity to find an issue that they are passionate about and argue to their peers about why something needs to be done about it.  

Nic Gallego after leading his committee this morning, talking to other members about their bills that were presented.

SAF: Parental Leave Benefits New Parents

By Saron Elias,
Garland High School

In a Friday morning Student Affairs Forum (SAF) session taking place in the Bluebonnet room at the Renaissance Hotel, Delegates Natalie Koch (left) and Mackie Beitsch (right) proposed the implementation of “12 weeks of fully paid parental leave.”

Koch claimed that the six weeks typically provided are not enforced by law, and that the time is typically only allotted to mothers. The human body takes “at least six weeks to recover physically from birthing,” as Beitsch said, and that this timeframe fails to take the potentially necessary time for mental health recovery into account. This new proposal will ensure that both adoptive and biological parents, consisting of any combination of gender/sex, receive 12 weeks off. Although adoptive parents do not endure a physical recovery, all families need time “to adjust” to “having this new child in their home” as Koch said. 

Delegate Elise Bostian believes that this proposal should pass. Bostian argued that policies such as this are very common in other first-world countries, and that the “U.S. is one of the only first-world nations that does not actually have required paid leave for parents.” She also connected the issue to abortion, claiming that this policy will help protect those who are affected by restrictive abortion laws and enable them to raise their child more successfully.

Delegate Joshua Lee said he appreciates the inclusiveness within this proposal. Lee claimed that parental leave typically applies to “female parents, specifically parents that gave birth,” and that all parents “deserve the ability to actually properly care for [their kids].” Delegate Angela Luong was also in favor of this proposal. Luong stated that maternal involvement with the baby results in positive “growth of the child”. She believes that the proposition will contribute to an invaluable bond between mother and child.

However, not all delegates support this proposal. Delegate Elizabeth LeCompte claimed that people may “take advantage” of this paid time off by claiming to be the “biological father or mother, but not actually being the one to care for the baby.” She suggested requiring proof of legal paternity. Delegate Elie Park believes that the “financial burden” on small businesses will be too great. She worries that small businesses may not be able to even partially pay new parents for 12 weeks.

After thanking all participants, Beitsch addressed the possibility of the proposition being taken advantage of, stating that most businesses require some form of DNA test or other proof of parenthood. She also argued that “it is extremely hard to fake being pregnant” and that should the business contest a claim, it is now for the business to deal with. To address the issue concerning small businesses, Beitsch believes that it is the responsibility of businesses to care for its employees, and should an employee be let go, they can contest in court. Koch claimed that parents work incredibly hard to raise their kids, and implores her fellow delegates to give back through this proposal.

Women Taking A Stand for Change At State Youth and Government Conference

Frida Hernandez-Aguila,
Veterans Memorial High School

Many young women at the 2023 YMCA Texas State Youth and Government State Conference are making a stand for change in our world. With the second day of competition taking place at the Texas Capitol in Austin, all eyes are on the leaders of the future. Women around the competition are here to show their ideas to help make the world go round, starting with the government.

In every room, all around, there are young women here to show off their skills and powerful knowledge. There are young women who are here to participate in all of the categories. With this being Women’s History Month, it is important to highlight not only the women who are a part of where we are today but also the women who will be a part of the future. 

During women’s history month, we are reminded of those women who brought us to where we are now. It wasn’t until the 1890s that women were allowed to take part in the workforce. Then in 1917, Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman to serve in Congress. Now there are women all over the world showing that it is possible to be part of what was thought to be a “man’s” job.

Madeleine Albright was the first woman to be Secretary of State, and the highest-ranking woman ever in the United States Government. Kamala Harris became the first woman to serve as Vice President for the United States. Today, Catherine Masey, judge for LASA High School in Austin, embodies the qualities of a powerful young woman. Knowing what she is capable of, Masey takes the role of judge in the courtroom to help guide the lawyers and the jurors.

“I know you have to work twice as hard to be half as good as a man,” she says. “If you act like you know what you’re doing, no one should know otherwise.”  

Though it is still a male dominated field, Masey and many others like her have been able to overcome big and small obstacles. However, it is opportunities like these that allow these women to feel ‘strong’ and show that it is possible to become our leader of the future. 

Underage Drinking: A Nay or A Slay?

By LeeAnn Partin,
Hays High School

When exploring the process of how bills are passed in the State of Texas, the Legislative sector finds themselves meeting once again to question and amend acts presented with the hopes to pass to the full chamber of House and Senate. This sector joins together in Committee B, at the 76th State Conference during the weekend of March 2-5, to focus on Bill #HB103.

Bill #HB103 is explained to be an act to make consumption of alcoholic beverages as a minor with parental consent illegal, written by delegate Theodore Nguyen, of Glenda Dawson High School. Delegate Nguyen presents his bill to the legislative body, aiming for favorable recommendation and for amendments that will improve the bill to its best version. Nguyen’s bill details three provisions: 1) Raising the alcohol tax  from 8.25% to 10%, with the purpose of funding this bill, while simultaneously turning away people from alcohol with the price rise; 2) Allocate $200 million to the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) to spread awareness; 3) Exclude the consumption of alcohol for religious purposes. Delegate Nguyen’s bill passed with favorable recommendation and is amended once to clarify the definitions listed in his bill.

At the end of this bill’s assessment, delegate Sophie Zhou brought an amendment to the table, focusing on the tiny details of delegate Nguyen’s bill. Bill #HB103 lists definitions to words relevant to the subject matter, specifically: Alcoholic Beverages; Minor; and Consent.

“To protect our children and the future people in our society, I move to specify and clarify the definitions and provisions for this bill,” Zhou said. Delegate Zhou pushed to change the age of full legal responsibility, listed as 18 years old in the bill, to 21 years old as the new age. Delegate Zhou chose to center on these definitions for clarity, eliminating vagueness and assumptions that could be made.

Continuing to the proponent and opponent speeches, delegate Emory Miramontes Eldredge, from Boswell High School, rose as an opponent to Nguyen’s bill and spoke about why  she gaves an unfavorable recommendation. “Most parents would not allow their kids to drink, but they have still had these experiences” Eldredge argued. “I would say that allowing your kid to experience the negative effects of alcohol at a young age and understanding hangover and sickness, allows your kid to understand what’s going on.”

In the designated Question And Answer time slot, delegates brought up important questions to address the policies/actions going to be taken when putting this bill into place.

Delegate Avery Mason, Boswell High School, questioned the jurisdiction of delegate Nguyen’s bill. “Alcohol consumption is a federal issue. This law won’t change anything because this is a federal problem, not a state problem that we can change.” Mason said, questioning Nguyen’s plan of action.

Nguyen explained in response to this that alcohol consumption is under the jurisdiction of both federal and state law, so taking action won’t be an issue. Nguyen described that this bill will focus on public places like restaurants, so staff can implement restrictions of adults consenting to minor consumption.

The legislative body discussed back and forth how delegate Nguyen’s bill will be set into action, either private or public, but concluded with the bill’s planned restrictions for public spaces.

The yea’s are loud in unison for Delegate Nguyen’s bill, not before delegate Grayson Carlson requested a division, initiating a roll call vote to clarify how many delegates are for either side. Delegate Nguyen’s bill went through for favorable recommendation with 8 yea’s and 3 nay’s.

Delegate Eldredge gives her speech against delegate Nguyen’s bill, connecting with the legislative body through her own experiences.

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