FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 26, 2001 CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119 DRAKE MOCK TRIAL TEAMS SWEEP REGIONAL CONTEST Drake University's two mock trial teams placed first and second in the Regional Mock Trial Tournament held Feb. 23-24 at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. Both teams will advance to the National Mock Trial Tournament, which will take place in Des Moines March 30 through April 1. Drake's first-place team achieved an 8-0 record, defeating a Grinnell College team, an Iowa State University team and two teams from Creighton University. Drake's second-place team finished with a 7-1 record, tying an Iowa State team and defeating teams from Central College, the University of Kansas and Washburn University Teams from 16 colleges and universities participated in the regional contest for undergraduate students. A team from Iowa State University took third place. In mock trials, teams present both sides of a hypothetical case, once as the prosecutor and once as the defense. Local lawyers serve as judges and award points to each team based not on which side wins the argument, but on each team's poise, familiarity with courtroom procedure, rules of evidence and ability to ask questions in proper form. This year's case was a civil suit against a guide company that provided services to a mountain climber who died scaling Mt. Everest. Three students on Drake's first-place team received Outstanding Attorney awards. They are: Matthew Eslick, a senior from Dayton, Iowa; Shanaz Mohamed, a junior from Des Moines; and Emily Peebler, a first-year student from Robins, Iowa. Mohamed also received an Outstanding Witness award as did his teammate, Zachary Nunn, a senior from Des Moines. Also competing on the first-place team were Craig Edwards, a junior from Clive; Kendra Laffe, a junior from Charles City, Iowa; Josh Murad, a junior from Urbandale; and Dan Reitinger, a first-year student from Bettendorf, Iowa. Three members of the second-place team also received Outstanding Attorney awards. They are Marisa Ellsworth, a junior from Sheldon, Iowa; Scott Horrigan, a senior from West Des Moines; and Jesse Johnston, a sophomore from Long Grove, Iowa. Also competing on the second-place team were Warren Baltz, a junior from Galena, Ill.; Allyson Evans, a senior from Huntingtown, Md.; Meka Hayes, a first-year student from Terre Haute, Ind.; Becky See, a junior from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; and Joel Towner, a first-year student from Appleton, Wis. Drake's winning teams were coached by William Schultz, a second-year Drake law student from Fergus Falls, Minn.; and Dave Nelmark, a 1999 Drake graduate and president of Dream Trials of Johnston.