State v. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed Scripted Mock Trial

Source:

Lesson plan written by Margaret Fisher. Staff at the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) edited the lesson. For more information, contact AOC Court Services, 1206 Quince Street SE, PO Box 41170, Olympia, WA 98504-1170. For an electronic copy of this lesson, or to view other lesson plans, visit Educational Resources on the Washington Courts Web site at: www.courts.wa.gov/education/.

Objectives:

1. Students will conduct a mock trial, follow the sequence of steps in a trial, and employ good techniques for each role.

2. Students will name and identify the different roles in a trial.

3. Students will be more confident in being able to speak in front of the class.

Grade Level:

Grades K-5

Time:

One class period (approximately 50 minutes)

Materials:

The teacher should have prepared the students for the trial in advance of the judge’s visit. The judge will serve as judge in the trial, helping students along as they go, if needed.

Note: This trial is designed for students reading at grade 3 or above. However, the jurors may be made up of students as young as kindergarten. The teacher may divide the attorney roles into smaller parts, depending upon the reading level of the students. Teachers may choose to use costumes to enhance the enjoyment of the trial by the students.

Procedures:

1. Begin the class by introducing yourself and setting the students at ease. Tell students the purpose of this mock trial is to familiarize them with the court process, to speaking skills, and to help them understand more about the people who are part of the legal process.

2. Set up the classroom for the trial. The judge should sit behind the front desk or behind a podium if there is one in the classroom. Set up the witness box, by having a chair off the side of the judge. Prosecutors should sit closest to the jury on one side of classroom, and the defense should sit on the other side. Have witnesses sit behind lawyers. Have jurors sit to one side of the classroom. Have the bailiff stand next to the witness box.

3. Have students begin the trial and read the script.

   After the script is over, have jurors deliberate as a small group and decide on a verdict.

4. Debrief the trial. Ask the student actors how they felt about acting in their roles.

   Ask students what is the role of the trial judge? The prosecutor? The defense attorney? The jury? The bailiff?

   When the jury has reached a verdict, have them come to the front of the classroom and announce the verdict.

   Ask the jury how they felt about playing jurors.

   Ask if anyone has any questions about jury deliberations. Ask the student judge whether s/he agreed with the jury verdict. Ask students whether that ever happens in a real case, where the judge does not agree with the jury. Explain any examples from your own experience (in general terms).

   Debrief on the different parts of the trial.

   Ask if anyone has any questions about the trial process.

State of Washington v. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed

Mock Trial

Zazu: My name is Zazu, and I am here to tell you what has happened in the Pride Lands. The story of The Lion King seems to end with the death of Scar, and with Simba and Nala taking over the leadership of the Pride Lands.

However, this is not the end of the story. In actuality, we are here today in the Superior Court of Washington State to hear murder charges brought by the state of Washington against the three hyenas: Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

Bailiff: All rise. The Superior Court of State of Washington is now in session, the Honorable Judge __________________ presiding. Present in the courtroom are the defendants, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed; Simba the Lion; and Nala the Lioness. ________________, ________________, _______________ are attorneys for the government, and ___________ are attorneys for the defendants. I, ______________, am the bailiff.

Judge: Please be seated. We are here today in the case of the state of Washington vs. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, the hyenas. We will now seat the jury. Students of __________’s class are serving as the jury. You have been called today to decide whether or not the three defendants: Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, the hyenas, are guilty of the murder of Scar.

It will be your duty to decide whether or not they are guilty of the crime of murder. It is important that you decide the case based on what the evidence shows. It would be wrong to decide the case because you like some lawyers or some witnesses. You must decide what really happened.

It is my duty as the judge to instruct you on the law in this case. The law states that people are guilty of murder in the second degree when they intend to kill another person and they cause the death of that person. The law also says that people have the right to protect themselves when someone is trying to kill them.

The government's lawyers must convince you that the hyenas are guilty of murder. If they fail to convince you that the hyenas are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, then the three hyenas will go free. At the end of this case, you will be asked to decide whether or not Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed are guilty or not guilty of murder.

We will now begin the case. The attorneys for the government, who are called prosecuting attorneys, will go first.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this is a clear case of murder. These three hyenas had been great friends with Scar the Lion. Their friendship began many years ago when Scar, the now dead lion, was trying to become king of the Pride Lands. Scar used to bring food to these hyenas, who in turn did favors for him. We will show that on the day that Scar died, Simba had returned to fight Scar to be king. That day these three hyenas turned on their loyal friend, Scar. They killed him and ate him because they were very hungry, and they were very angry at Scar. The evidence will convince you that you must find the three hyenas guilty of murder.

Defense Attorney #1: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this case is not as simple as the prosecuting attorney has tried to make you believe. This is not a case of the three hyenas turning on an old friend. In fact, this case is about three hyenas who were fighting for their own lives. They will tell you that on the date Scar died, he had told Simba that the hyenas were the enemy and should be killed. Scar had just been defeated by Simba, and he was furious and hungry himself. He was about to kill the three hyenas, and they fought back.

In Washington State, people have the right to defend themselves when they are about to be killed. This is called self-defense. We will show that these three hyenas had a reasonable belief that Scar was about to kill them. The law excuses them for killing another when they were protecting themselves from dying.

We will show you that Scar killed his own brother, Mufasa, and tried to kill Simba. These three hyenas knew that Scar could kill them. They believed that Scar was about to kill them the day that he died.

Also, the prosecuting attorneys are not able to prove that Shenzi, Bonsai, and Ed were the hyenas who actually killed Scar. There were huge flames with lots of smoke swirling around Pride Rock and more than 100 hyenas in the area. No one can say who did the killing. The prosecuting attorneys must prove the case with a lot of evidence, which they simply cannot do.

Judge: Is the prosecution ready to present its case?

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Yes, Your Honor. I would like to call my first witness, Simba.

Bailiff (to Simba): Raise your right paw. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Simba: I do. (Sits down.)

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Please state your name for the court and spell it.

Simba: It’s Simba, S-I-M-B-A.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Describe to the court how you first came to know the three hyenas, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

Simba: Well, when I was just a cub, I heard about the elephant graveyard at the border of the Pride Lands. I snuck off with my best friend, Nala, who was also a lion cub. We went to explore the elephant graveyard. I was standing right in front of an elephant skull when out jumped three slobbering hyenas from the skull's eye holes. The hyenas wanted us to stick around for dinner. That meant that they wanted to eat us. It was only because my dad, Mufasa, came that they did not kill us.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Simba, are the three hyenas, whom you have described as Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, present in the courtroom today?

Simba: Yes, they are right over there. (Points to the three hyenas.)

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Thank you. Let the record reflect that the witness identified the three hyenas. Please tell about the next time that you met these hyenas.

Simba: Well, I saw them the day that my dad died in the gorge. Afterwards I got chased by these same three hyenas, who wanted to kill and eat me. It's only because I jumped into a tangle of thorns that I escaped. Banzai the Hyena got stuck with a lot of thorns, but I got away.

Defense Attorney #1: Objection, Your Honor, none of this information relates to the case today.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Your Honor, I am trying to show that Simba can recognize these three hyenas, that he has reason to know Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.

Judge: Overruled, but please get on with the more important parts of the case.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Simba, directing your attention to the day that Scar died, please tell the court what happened.

Simba: I had just decided that I needed to return to the Pride Lands to take the throne away from my Uncle Scar. Nala, Timon and Pumbaa were with me. There was a big storm just starting. I gave a loud roar and Scar turned to see me. At first he thought I was a ghost. Then my mom, Sarabi, called out my name. Scar and I had a fight. After I had won, Scar tried to convince me that we could still be friends. Then lightning struck the dry grass of the flatlands. The strong winds swept huge flames toward Pride Rock.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Then what happened?

Simba: Scar said that the hyenas were the real enemy and that together Scar and I could defeat them. I told Scar to run, run away and never return. Scar lunged at me one more time, and I fought him off. I threw him off Pride Rock. At this point, the three hyenas killed him and ate him.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: To your knowledge, did the three hyenas hear Scar call them the real enemy?

Simba: Oh, most definitely. Before they killed and ate him, I heard Scar trying to trick them into helping him. Shenzi reminded him that he had just called them the real enemy. They were really mad at Scar.

Defense Attorney #1: Objection, Simba cannot know what these three hyenas were feeling.

Judge: Sustained. The jury will be instructed not to pay attention to the last statement that Simba made.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: Did you actually see the three defendants, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, kill and eat Scar?

Simba: Yes, I saw it all clearly from the top of Pride Rock.

Prosecuting Attorney #1: No further questions of this witness.

Judge: Defense, would you care to question this witness?

Defense Attorney #1: Most certainly, Your Honor. Simba, is it fair to say that you do not like these three defendants, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed?

Simba: Well, yes. They tried to kill me!

Defense Attorney #1: A yes or no answer will be enough. In fact, would it be fair to say that you hate the hyenas?

Simba: Yes.

Defense Attorney #1: Now, Simba, you said before that you were on top of Pride Rock, and that there was a large fire raging in the flatlands at the time that Scar died. Is that correct?

Simba: Yes.

Defense Attorney #1: And, Simba, you had just been in a major fight for your life with your Uncle Scar, is that right?

Simba: Yes, that's true.

Defense Attorney #1: Simba, had you been hurt in that fight?

Simba: Well, yes.

Defense Attorney #1: So you are trying to tell this court that you were able to see what was going on down below when smoke and flames were all around you? When you were injured?

Simba: I know that they killed and ate Scar.

Defense Attorney #1: Simba, how many hyenas were present the day that Scar was killed?

Simba: Oh, I don't know.

Defense Attorney #1: Well, were there more than three?

Simba: Oh, yes, they were all over the place.

Defense Attorney #1: Well, would you say that there were ten?

Simba: At least that many.

Defense Attorney #1: Well, would say that there were one hundred?

Simba: Possibly that many.

Defense Attorney #1: And still you say that in the smoke, your pain, high above the flatlands, you could see these three hyenas kill your uncle? No further questions.

Judge: Simba, you may step down.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: The government would like to call Nala to the stand please.

Judge: Would Nala please come forward and be sworn?

Bailiff (to Nala): Raise your right paw. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Nala: I do.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: Nala, please tell the court your name and spell it.

Nala: My name is Nala, spelled N-A-L-A.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: Please tell the court your relationship to this case.

Nala: Well, I am the Queen Lioness in the Pride Lands. I met the three defendants at the same time as Simba. That was when we were cubs and snuck over to the elephant graveyard.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: When was the next time that you met Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed?

Nala: I didn’t see them until the day that Scar reported to us that Mufasa and Simba were dead. Scar became the new king, and he allowed the hyenas to take over the Pride Lands. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed came to live near Pride Rock. They upset the balance of nature by eating all the animals, so that soon everything was destroyed. There was no food, no water. Everyone was starving. It was a horrible time.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: Turning your attention to the day that Scar was killed, where were you?

Nala: Well, I came back with Simba from where I had been hunting. I joined Queen Sarabi and my mother, Sarafina. I was going to get the lionesses to join together to fight Scar.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: Did you see the hyenas during this time?

Nala: As I approached Pride Rock, I saw some hyenas. Pumbaa, the warthog, and Timon, the meerkat, tried to divert their attention. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were not in that group. As I got closer to Queen Sarabi, I heard Scar yelling at her. He was shouting, "I'm ten times the king Mufasa was." He hit her with his paw, and she fell down.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: At what point, if any, did you see Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed?

Nala: Well, those three hyenas were circling close to Scar. They looked very hungry and they were watching Queen Sarabi very closely. I was afraid that they were going to kill her. After Simba was fighting Scar, I saw the three hyenas down below Pride Rock. All the other hyenas were on the other side of Pride Rock. After Scar fell off Pride Rock, I heard Shenzi's voice. She was challenging Scar because he had called her the real enemy. It was definitely Shenzi. I will remember her voice as long as I live. When I was a little cub, she was the one who scared me to death, asking if anyone had ordered their dinner to go.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: No further questions. Your witness, Counselor.

Defense Attorney #2: Did you actually see Shenzi, Banzai, or Ed kill Scar?

Nala: No, but it...

Defense Attorney #2: That is sufficient, thank you. No further questions.

Judge: Nala, you may step down.

Prosecuting Attorney #2: The prosecution rests, Your Honor.

Defense Attorney #2: Your Honor, the defense would like to call Shenzi to the stand.

Judge: Shenzi, would you please come forward and be sworn?

Bailiff (to Shenzi): Raise your right paw. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Shenzi: I do.

Defense Attorney #2: Please state your name, and spell it for the court.

Shenzi: It's Shenzi, S-H-E-N-Z-I.

Defense Attorney #2: Could you please describe what happened on the day that Scar the Lion King was killed?

Shenzi: Well, it is hard for me to say. You see, there was a whole lot of smoke from this big fire that started. And, I was starving. You see, the lionesses had not gotten us any food for a long, long time. I could barely stand up, I was so hungry.

Defense Attorney #2: Describe your relationship to Scar.

Shenzi: You see, Scar and the hyenas had an agreement. Scar let us rule the Pride Lands, and we helped him protect his throne. You have to understand about hyenas. It is our nature to eat meat. If we don't have it, we die. Generally, we eat the bodies of dead animals. Scar knew all that, and he generally took care of us.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: Objection, Your Honor, narration.

Judge: Sustained. Please ask more specific questions.

Defense Attorney #2: Shenzi, how did Scar get your cooperation?

Shenzi: He always made us pay for our food in one way or the other. The time he had us try to catch Simba and Nala when they were cubs, he gave us a zebra leg to eat. We would die without meat. Scar promised us all the meat we could eat, if we helped him keep his throne in the Pride Lands. We had this agreement.

Defense Attorney #2: How long had it been since you had eaten on the day that Scar died?

Shenzi: It had been weeks. As I said I could hardly stand up. Banzai was a little stronger than I was. But I didn't have the strength to kill a lion.

Defense Attorney #2: Did you kill the lion known as Scar?

Shenzi: No, I did not.

Defense Attorney #2: No further questions.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: Shenzi, you just testified that you were not strong enough to kill Scar on the day of the killing, is that correct?

Shenzi: Yes, it is.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: But isn't it also true, that on the day that Scar died, you, Banzai, and Ed attacked Simba, almost knocking him off Pride Rock?

Shenzi: Well, yes. But I used up all my strength doing that.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: Did you have a conversation with Scar at the bottom of Pride Rock about the fact that he had said that you were the real enemy?

Shenzi: Yes, he was a liar and not to be trusted.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: Then you admit that you were one of the last ones alive with Scar?

Shenzi: Oh, I don’t know what happened to him. It was so smoky, I just couldn’t tell. You know, Scar was ready to kill us and we were ready to protect ourselves.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: No further questions.

Judge: Shenzi, you may step down.

Defense Attorney #3: The defense would like to call Banzai.

Judge: Banzai, would you please come forward and be sworn?

Bailiff (to Banzai): Raise your right paw. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Banzai: I do.

Defense Attorney #3: Please state your name, and spell it for the court.

Banzai: My name is Banzai, B-A-N-Z-A-I.

Defense Attorney #3: Could you please describe what happened on the day that Scar the Lion King was killed?

Banzai: Well, I was down on the flatlands with Shenzi and Ed. We heard Scar telling Simba that we were the real enemy. We realized that Scar had turned on us and was now against us. We had to fight to survive.

Defense Attorney #3: No further questions.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: Now, Banzai, when you say that you had to fight to survive, do you mean that you did fight with Scar?

Banzai: Yes, I guess so. He was going to kill us!

Prosecuting Attorney #3: Had Scar just been thrown off Pride Rock?

Banzai: Yes, he had.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: Was he injured?

Banzai: Well, yes, I guess.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: And you want us to believe that you thought Scar was trying to kill you?

Banzai: He said we were the real enemy!

Prosecuting Attorney #3: Now, really, Banzai, isn’t it really the truth that you were angry at Scar for saying you were the enemy, and you killed him because you were angry and hungry?

Banzai: No, no.

Prosecuting Attorney #3: No further questions.

Judge: Banzai, you may step down.

Defense Attorney #3: The defense would like to call Ed.

Judge: Ed, would you please come forward and be sworn?

Bailiff (to Ed): Raise your right paw. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Ed: I do.

Defense Attorney #3: Please state your name, and spell it for the court.

Ed: My name is Ed, E-D, the always laughing hyena. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Defense Attorney #3: Could you please describe what happened on the day that Scar the Lion King was killed?

Ed: Scar came to kill us all, and we killed him first! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Defense Attorney #3: No further questions.

Prosecuting Attorney #4: Ed, now tell me, were you angry at Scar when you killed him?

Ed: Oh, yes. He said we were the real enemy. Oh, yes, oh, yes. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Prosecuting Attorney #4: And, Ed, how exactly did you kill him?

Ed: Well, Shenzi bit his neck. I bit his tail, and Banzai bit him too. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Prosecuting Attorney #4: No further questions.

Judge: Ed, you may step down.

Defense Attorney #3: The defense rests.

Judge: You may proceed with closing arguments.

Prosecuting Attorney #4: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you have heard with your own ears, the admission of Shenzi and Banzai that just seconds before Scar was killed that they had overhead Scar say that the hyenas were the enemy. Banzai and Ed admit that they actually killed Scar. They also admit that they were very angry. They were angry enough to kill Scar. So they killed and ate him. They were not trying to defend themselves. Scar had just been defeated by Simba and thrown off of Pride Rock. He was in no shape to kill three hyenas.

The law states that anyone who intends to cause the death of another and then causes the death of that person is guilty of murder. You should find the three defendants guilty of murder.

Defense Attorney #3: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you must decide whether or not to hold these three hyenas guilty of murder. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed were starving because Scar, the lion, did not provide them with food. These three hyenas knew what Scar could do. They had seen him kill his own brother, Mufasa. They had seen him try to kill Simba.

Just before Scar died, he told Simba that the hyenas were the real enemy. At this point, they had every reason to believe that Scar was going to kill them. They have a right to defend themselves from him.

Please do what justice and the law require of you: find the three hyenas not guilty of murder.

Prosecutor #4: Remember that Scar had been beaten by Simba and was in no shape to kill the hyenas. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed killed him in anger. Please do justice today and find them guilty of murder.

Judge: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it is your job to decide if Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed are guilty of murder. If found guilty, they may be sentenced to prison and fined. We shall await your decision.