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| Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood |
Have you ever wanted to attend a trial to see what happens at court? A two-day
mock murder trial took place in my hometown this week, and members of the
public could watch the proceedings from the public gallery.
What particularly piqued my interest was the fact the trial was based around the plot of an award-winning novel I'd read. The YA book is "Infinite Sky" by author C.J. Flood, who attended and tweeted live at the trial. How cool is that? I wonder if it's a world first to have a book brought to life in such a dramatic fashion!
I was briefly able to attend for part of the summation before the jury
retired to consider their verdict. When the Crown Court Judge entered the mock
courtroom after lunch, everyone had to rise and couldn’t sit down again until
he was seated. The prosecution were up first, and the barrister’s emphatic,
confident delivery could easily persuade you of the defendant’s guilt. In
contrast, the defence was quieter and more measured, and I wondered whether the
theatrics from the prosecution would prove just as instrumental in helping the
jury reach a verdict as the evidence itself.
The 'murder' weapon – a brick – was passed around to the jury, and the
prosecution suggested the injuries sustained by the victim were too excessive
to be self-defence by the defendant. It wasn't looking too hopeful for him at that point.
Sadly, I had to leave before the verdict was reached, but the trial was
filmed for teaching purposes, and I hope it’s made available so I can catch up
with all that I missed!
I contacted C.J. Flood after the trial, and she said, “It was so much fun
seeing my characters come to life...”
Kudos to all who took part.
The bar has now been raised for YA writers. Film deal? Pah, that’s
nothing compared to having a mock court case for your book. 😃
