by David Tanner ('19) This past Tuesday, March 7th, the MTA Mock Trial team competed against Validus Academy in their second match, this time acting as the defense. This year's case is regarding a claim of malicious prosecution by someone who was wrongfully put in jail, claiming that the detective involved conducted a poor investigation and acted improperly. The defense had to protect the detective from these accusations, showing that the investigation was standard and that the detective had good reason to believe he had found the perpetrator. Benjy Bral ('18), Benny Mermel ('19), and David Tanner ('18) acted as the defense lawyers, while Rafi Felder ('17), Moshe Inger ('20), and Aharon Goldstein ('19) stepped into their roles as witnesses. A tense trial followed, with opening statements, direct and cross examinations of the witnesses, objections and responses, submission of evidence, and closing statements. The ruling: An encouraging victory for MTA, much appreciated after the loss on a tie which the team experienced last week. We thank our coach, Noah Pollack, and hope for more wins as we advance further!