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.