LYNN — The City celebrated Law Day on Monday with high school students filing into Lynn District Court to learn about the judicial system and participate in mock trials.
Attorney James J. Carrigan, who helped orchestrate the day, stated “There is one dream that you can make come true for yourself and that’s to be a person of honor. You should learn all the things that are taught by your parents and by the schools to develop an honorable and successful human being.”
He told the students they can be honest, a person of integrity, and a person of responsibility to lead a successful life. Carrigan also dove into immigration and the unjust actions happening around the country.
“I’m going to be speaking at the Washington School tomorrow. I spoke with a person there, and I said, ‘What’s on their mind?’ And she said, ‘They’re all interested in immigration,'” Carrigan said. “Then I recalled we had a serious event a couple of months ago where somebody got taken away by ICE. And the fear and misinformation that’s going around in Lynn and America is unbelievable… We need to stand together.”
Next, Hon. Ina Howard-Hogan introduced Superintendent Dr. Evonne S. Alvarez.
“You all have a special possession for those who attend the public schools here in Lynn,” Howard-Hogan said. “I got to know your superintendent at various events, and hearing her speak, and what a gift to all of us in this community.”
Howard-Hogan spoke about the great changes Alvarez had made before turning it over to her.
“It is time to recognize the foundational role that the law plays in our society. It is most important for you today, especially in the times that we’re living, to understand what your rights are,” Alvarez said. “Every day in our schools, our educators teach you about law, about citizenship, and I want to thank all the educators that are here today because without you, our students would not have that foundational knowledge.”
She continued by saying that there are many concerning issues in today’s world. She said, “While you go through your day remember that there is power in sharing your voice, the importance of fairness, understanding all sides of an issue before you speak, and the values of the laws that protect freedoms and promote justice for all.”
Assistant Chief Probation Officer Staci Gergely and retired Assistant Clerk Magistrate Elizabeth Mooney then presented the Attorney Lynne M. O’Connell Award to Chief Probation Officer Colleen O’Donnell. The award is given to someone who is committed to assisting the juveniles involved in the court system and to someone who embraces Lynn O’Connell’s devotion, dedication and tenacity, according to Howard-Hogan.
“I have had the honor and privilege of working with Chief Colleen O’Donnell for over 25 years for the Massachusetts Probation Service,” Gergely said. “Colleen has been a strong advocate for children and families in Essex County for over 38 years. In her current role as Chief Probation Officer of Essex County Juvenile Court, she continues to be a zealous advocate and champion for her staff and the community we serve.”
O’Donnell was grateful and honored to receive the award, thanking everyone and joking that she had been told someone else would be getting the award.
After the award the artwork created by Fecteau-Leary Jr./Sr High School students was unveiled by Hon. Kathryn Phelan Brown, Principal Maura Durgin-Scully and students Aidan Pleasant, Darwin Espinoza, and Shawn Ayott.
“This piece represents more than just the visual expression of the Law Day theme; it is a reflection of collaborative creativity and hard work. For the past 15 to 20 years, Fecteau-Leary has participated in the Juvenile Courts Law Day program,” she said.
Groups were then split off to different courtrooms to participate in their mock trials.
In Courtroom 3, the mock trial focused on three juveniles who had shoplifted at the Square One Mall in Saugus, specifically the T.J. Maxx there.
The defendant, “Gary McManus,” who was played by St. Mary’s student and Phelan Brown’s nephew Matthew Phelan, was on trial for shoplifting. McManus was caught wearing all the stolen clothes, layering sweatshirts, T-shirts, and pants and being called “The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.”
Students all played roles in the trial with Precious Jonathan (Frederick Douglass Collegiate Academy) and Maxlin Morel-Perez (Frederick Douglass Collegiate Academy) acting as judges, Abigail Griffin (St. Mary’s High School) acting as the defense’s attorney, Brendan McGlew (St. Mary’s High School) and Keyther Pujols (Lynn Vocational Technical Institute) acting as assistant district attorneys, and Luke Phelan, Matthew’s brother, acting as a Lynn court officer. The students were guided through the process by court officials.
In the end, “McManus” was found guilty by the jury of his peers and handcuffed by Luke Phelan with the help of Lynn Court Officer Henry Ruiz.
