THE LIZZIE BORDEN MOCK TRIAL

 

Introduction | Task | Resources | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion


Introduction

     "Lizzie Borden took and axe
And gave her mother forty whacks
When she saw what she had done
    She gave her father forty-one."

    In 1892, in the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Borden were brutally slain in their Victorian home.  The alleged murder weapon was an ax.  Fall River police officers have taken Lizzie Borden into custody as their primary suspect.  Your job is to obtain clues to either prove her innocence or guilt in this ghastly murder case.  The information that you obtain will be used to conduct forensic science experiments and to prepare for her defense/prosecution.
 

THE FATHER'S BODY
 
 

THE SUSPECT
 

THE MOTHER'S BODY

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The Task
    In this project, you will be acting as either criminal investigators,  attorneys, courtroom personnel, or witnesses.  Your job is to help solve the murders of the Borden family and try the primary suspect in a court of law.  To accomplish this task, you will need to perform a WebQuest to obtain information on the Borden Murders.  As a criminal investigator, you will need to work your way through the virtual crime scene and collect valuable evidence.  After obtaining evidence, you will need to apply the scientific method in order to analyze your findings.
    As an attorney, you will need to look at the case and begin to formulate a prosecution or defense for Lizzy Borden.  You will need to rely on the information that you have obtained from your WebQuest, and further research and evidence that will be collected and analyzed by the crime team experts.  The final product for this project is to conduct a mock trial to determine Lizzie Borden's guilt or innocence.
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Resources

BIOLOGY STUDENT WEB SITES
THESE ARE RECOMMENDED WEB SITES, BUT YOU MAY WISH TO FIND OTHERS.

LIZZIE BORDEN SITES

1.   LIZZIE BORDEN STORY AT LAWBUZZ.COM
2.   LIZZIE BORDEN: CRIME LIBRARY
3.   VIRTUAL LIZZY BORDEN HOUSE
4.   LIZZIE BORDEN:  FALLS RIVER POLICE DEPARTMENT

FORENSIC SCIENCE SITES

1. BALLISTIC/FIREARMS
2. FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
3. INSECTS IN ENTOMOLOGY FORENSICS
4. FORENSIC PATHOLOGY INDEX
5. FIREARMS TUTORIAL (WARNING VERY GRAPHIC!!!!!)  (NOT REQUIRED)
6. BALLISTICS
7. THE CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR
8. DNA FORENSICS
9. THE CORPSE AS A CRIME SCENE
10.  MICROSCOPY IMAGES
11.  SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE IMAGES
12.  NANOWORLD IMAGE GALLERY
13.  SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE IMAGE GALLERY
14.  MICROSCOPE IMAGES
15.  ION IMAGE INDEX
16.  ION IMAGE INDEX II
17.  MICROWORLD INDEX PAGE
18.  MICROWORLD INDEX PAGE II
 

Business Law

LIZZIE BORDEN SITES
1.   LIZZIE BORDEN UNLOCKED
2.   LIZZIE BORDEN: CRIME LIBRARY
3.   VIRTUAL LIZZY BORDEN HOUSE
4.   LIZZIE BORDEN:  FALLS RIVER POLICE DEPARTMENT
5.   FAMOUS AMERICAN TRIALS
6.   THE TRIAL OF LIZZIE BORDEN AT LAWBUZZ.COM
7.   LIZZIE BORDEN CASE STUDY
8.   THE FALL RIVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY
 

COURT PROCEDURE SITES

THE JURORS WEB SITE
THE AMERICAN JURY
JURY DUTY LEAVE
JURY NEWS
TRIAL PROCEDURE
ABOUT LAWYERS AND JUDGES
COURTROOM PROCEDURES
LAW DICTIONARY
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
DNA EVIDENCE
FINGERPRINT EVIDENCE
ARTICLES ON CRIMINAL LAW
CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS
ANATOMY OF A CRIMINAL TRIAL
LIST OF OBJECTIONS
 
 

THE PROSECUTION













HOSEA M. KNOWLTON
WILLIAM MOODY
 
 




THE DEFENSE

GEORGE D. ROBINSON
ANDREW J. JENNINGS
MELVIN O. ADAMS

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The Process

BIOLOGY PROCESS

1.  You will be divided into forensic groups of three.
2.  Your forensic group members will conduct individual WEBQUESTs(Still to be developed) over the Borden murders and take notes over the clues they discover.
3.  You will rejoin your forensic group and collect evidence through the Virtual Crime Scene. (STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
4.  You will analyze the evidence that your group has collected and brainstorm on the types of experiments that you must conduct in order to get accurate information that you have found.
5.  You will conduct your experiments within your groups and analyze your data.
6.  You will work with the lawyers to prepare a defense or prosecution in the Lizzie Borden case.
7.  Your final role will be to serve as expert witnesses in the mock trial.

BUSINESS LAW PROCESS

1.  You will first choose the part you will to play in the mock trial:  Defense Lawyers, Prosecution, Defendant, Judge, Bailiff, Jury, and Witnesses.
2. You will then research your individual role in a trial.  You will be required to know court procedures, courtroom etiquette, and what position you play in the trial.
3.  You need to then research the facts of the Lizzie Borden case.
4.  You will then need to go to your respective links below to see further instructions.
          Prosecution
          Defense
          Defendant
          Judge
          Bailiff
          Jury
          Witnesses
 

5.  Lastly,  all the research you have done will be put together to conduct a mock trial in which the guilt or innocence of Lizzie Borden will be determined.

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Evaluation

Biology

You will be graded on several aspects of forensic science.  Each forensic science team will be required to analyze two pieces of evidence through experimentation as well as verifying another group's experiment by repeating their lab.  You will be graded on your lab design, conducting of the lab, and a write-up of your conclusion.  You will be also be graded on your verification experiment.
During the trial, you will be assessed on your performance as a witness.  You will be required to make up a list of questions with the lawyers, prepare a skit for the trial, be prepared for cross examination questions, and dress appropriately for the trial.

Primary Experiment Rubric
Verification Experiment Rubric
Witness Rubric

Business Law

You will be graded on several aspects of the trial.  Each of you have your own set of instructions that you are required to follow.  You must turn in all of the required worksheets and notes to receive credit.  Please  see your grade sheet to find out how you will be graded.

Lawyers
Witnesses (including Lizzie)
Judge
Jury
Bailiff


 

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Conclusion

Now that you have completed all of the research you are now ready to go to trial to help determine whether or not Lizzie Borden is innocent or guilty of these horrible murders.  Good luck!
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