One of Glenda Dawson High School’s Mock Trial Teams Prepares to enter the courtroom

By: Alaurya Short
Glenda Dawson High School

Austin, TX – The trial for the murder of council member Dakota Cody Mattis on February 3, 2026, involved the prosecution presenting evidence linking Harper Lynn to the crime. Key witnesses included lead investigator Jordan Reeves, who detailed the explosion’s cause and evidence found, such as a prepaid burner phone and fertilizer. Jamie, a longtime friend, testified about Harper’s growing obsession with Mattis. City IT systems administrator Riley Knox provided access to Harper’s deleted social media posts and laptop searches. The defense plans to counter with digital forensics expert Zane Torres, Gloria Parker, and Harper Lynn herself, aiming to disprove the prosecution’s charges.

The court proceedings involved a digital forensics expert, James Therese, who analyzed a city-issued laptop and a burner phone related to a case. Therese testified that the laptop, kept in an unsecured o ice, had searches that could have been made by anyone, including sta and interns The prosecution questioned Therese’s conclusions, which were based on secondhand data, and highlighted inconsistencies in the evidence. A witness, Gloria Parker, described seeing a tall figure near a vehicle, which contradicted her log’s description of a small female.

The defendant, Harper Lynn, explained a heated exchanged during a budget meeting and her subsequent tweet, which she later regretted.  The prosecution questioned Harper Lynn about her social media post, which included the term “86,” and her financial transactions, including a $10,000 transfer. Lynn claimed she was unaware of the significance of “86” and that the transfer was reported immediately.

The prosecution presented evidence of a 40-pound bag of fertilizer found in Lynn’s possession, suggesting it was used for improvised explosives. The defense argued that the prosecution lacked concrete evidence and that the case relied on circumstantial evidence. The prosecution countered that the evidence pointed to Lynn’s guilt.

In conclusion, the court found the defendant not guilty of murder, not guilty of solicitation, but guilty of criminal conspiracy.