The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG-Waitsburg School students acted as jurors in the State of California vs. George Milton, in the murder of Lennie Small, and delivered a verdict of dismissed without prejudice.

The names of the defendant and victim will sound familiar to those familiar with John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men."

The mock trial based on the famous book was held in Shannon Schreindl's high school freshmen classroom. In the first trial that afternoon, all present rose when Judge Schriendl was introduced. Prosecuting attorney Quinn Benavides called witnesses Crooks, Boss, Carlson, and the girl from Weed, asking questions before giving the floor to defense attorney Makenzie Castillo for cross-examination.

There was an overruled objection, and Castillo sometimes had no cross-examination questions.

Benavides, with the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Tegan Largent, charged Milton with shooting Small in the back of the head.

Castillo and assistant Griffen Hinchliffe called witnesses Candy, Slim, and Curly before putting Milton (Vayden Guay) on the stand. On the stand, Milton claimed he acted in self-defense.

After both sides' closing arguments, the jurors left the "courtroom" to deliberate. They returned with a verdict of "dismissed without prejudice."

In the second trial of the day, Prosecuting Attorney Jasper Sweet was assisted by Pilar Easton and Mckenzie Strickland. Sweet asked probing questions, and the defense attorney, Akayden Mikesell, occasionally had no questions during cross-examination. Trace Nesje assisted Mikesell for the defense.

After both sides questioned witnesses and presented closing arguments, the jury deliberated, and the foreperson announced a hung jury verdict.

Schreindl had her students participate in the mock trial after reading the book "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.