BELMAR — Resounding applause came when St. Rose Elementary eighth graders found Jefferson Davis not guilty of treason in the school’s annual mock trial event Monday at the Belmar municipal courthouse on Main Street.
Three member prosecution and defense attorneys argued whether or not the Confederate States of America president’s actions violated constitutional law.
“You will have to rely on your personal expertise, good judgment and common sense in all these matters,” social studies teacher Sean McDonald, who portrayed the judge, told the 16-member jury headed by Kevin Poppert, 14, of Belmar.
In her opening statements, head prosecutor Tylar Wengiel, 13, of Neptune, said when a man leads a rebellion or takes up arms against his own country he is guilty of treason. But lead defense attorney Sarah Rogers, 14, also of Neptune, argued that the mere act of heading the seceded union proved Davis did not act against the law.
Exhibits to support their arguments included the constitutional definition of treason and letters between Davis and Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Damaging testimony came from prosecution witnesses Alexander H. Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy; U.S. Secretary of War Edward M. Stanton; and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee -- portrayed respectively by 14-year-olds David Kundats of Wall, Ryan Scharfenberg and Brendan Corrigan, both of Neptune.
In his testimony, Stephens described Davis as a “weak, timid aspirant that wanted military domination.” He and Lee testified that it was not their wish to secede from the United States.
The defense, however, found strength in testimony brought forth by its witness Dr. John Joseph Cravens, portrayed by Anna Weeden, 13, of Interlaken, who said imprisonment conditions violated Davis’ civil liberties.
Another strength came when defense attorney Matt Hunt, 14, of Wall, argued that the north’s willingness to trade prisoners was acknowledgment that the confederate union was a separate nation and therefore Davis’ actions could not be construed as treason
