In 1770, John Adams closed his defense of British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre Trials by saying, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” The spirit of Adams’s emphatic defense lived on last Thursday, December 4, 2014, at the “Effective Closing Arguments in Criminal Cases” seminar. The panel was chaired by Hon. Charles Hely (Superior Court) and featured Hon. Christine McEvoy (Superior Court, retired), James F. Comerford (Quincy District Court), Patrick M. Haggan (Suffolk District Attorney’s Office), Masai-Maliek King (Suffolk District Attorney’s Office), Adrienne C. Lynch (Middlesex District Attorney’s Office), Kelli L. Porges, Esq. (Committee for Public Council Services), and Robert L. Sheketoff (Law Office of Robert Sheketoff). Attendees were instructed in the use of case law, the planning process, the development of tone and style, working with witnesses, and the use of exhibits, sounds, and visual aids in a closing argument. A lively question and answer session followed each presentation. The Library would like to thank the panel and attendees for making this program a success.
If you are interested in attending a Social Law CLE, please visit our Upcoming Events page for details about upcoming events.