Fifth graders get acquainted with justice at Law Day

Local area fifth graders had a fun and learning-filled morning out of the classroom on May 3, as they traveled to the Adams County Courthouse to participate in the annual Law Day.

Students from Ritzville, Lind, Washtucna and Benge participated in the day's activities, which kicked off with a mock trial in the Adams County Superior Courtroom. Some of the students participated in the trial as either the judge, the prosecutor, the defendant, the defense attorney, a witness, the bailiff and the jurors.

The defendant in the case had been accused of shoplifting a hat from a store and was charged with theft in the third degree. The prosecutor's witness was the store's cashier, who testified that the defendant had left the store without purchasing the hat. But the defendant testified that they had no intention of stealing the hat, and that they were simply talking with a friend outside of the store.

Following testimony from the witness and the defendant, the bailiff led the jury to the jury room to allow them to deliberate. During that time, the actual prosecutors and defense attorneys at the courthouse fielded questions from the fifth graders watching the trial. They explained to the students the three different types of outcomes there could be during a case (guilty, not guilty or mistrial), and other topics such as when a defendant could invoke their Fifth Amendment rights.

Following about ten minutes of deliberation, the jury returned and the bailiff delivered their verdict to the judge. The judge announced that the jury had found the defendant guilty of theft in the third degree. The crime is a gross misdemeanor and is punishable by a maximum of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Following the mock trial, the students made their way outside for a tour and demonstration from Adams County Sheriff's deputy Joe Phillips and two Washington State Patrol troopers. The law enforcement officers also fielded a wide range of questions from the fifth graders, who were especially fascinated with tasers.

The troopers let the students sit in their patrol cars and experiment with the sirens, while Phillips gave a demonstration with his K-9 dog, a 100-pound German Shepherd named Garrett. Phillips has had Garrett since 2015, and Garrett was born and originally trained in Germany, so Phillips gives his orders to Garrett in German.

Phillips explained to the students how disciplined Garrett is, and said discipline is something they work on every single day in the office. He also used the bite sleeve to demonstrate what would happen if Garrett was instructed to capture someone who was resisting or evading arrest. In Garrett's four years of service so far, there have been two instances where he's had to 'capture' someone.

After the demonstration, Phillips allowed the students to come up and pet Garrett one at a time. Most K-9 dogs serve between 5-8 years before 'retirement.' The dogs are usually put up for adoption, and Phillips said that he's hoping he will be able to adopt Garrett following his retirement. Garrett already lives at home with Phillips, who noted he spends more time with his K-9 than his actual family.