Cheek moments before she began her opening argument.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nChallenging the Evidence<\/strong><\/p>\nSellers had been convicted of murder and sentenced to serve 50 years in prison. The appeal centered on scientific evidence that the state used to connect him to the crime, including lead particles found on his clothing that were described as being associated with gunshot residue.<\/p>\n
Over the course of the appeal, the students reviewed the trial court\u2019s record, researched the relevant scientific and legal issues, and helped develop the defense\u2019s
Although arguing before the state’s highest court was initially intimidating, Cheek says extensive preparation helped calm any nerves.<\/p>\n
\u201cErica coordinated about five different practice moots with a variety of students and practitioners to make sure I was fully ready,\u201d Cheek explains. \u201cTheir feedback was immensely helpful, and I was able to improve my argument with each round. When the big day arrived, I was a little nervous, but I felt confident in my knowledge and ready to discuss the case with the court.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court ruled that the trial court should have more carefully evaluated the reliability of the evidence before admitting it. Because that review never occurred, the court overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial. The court also noted that the gunshot residue evidence was the only link between Sellers and the firearm used in the homicide.<\/p>\n
Learning While Serving Clients<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Criminal Defense Appellate Clinic typically enrolls five or six students and handles about three cases each year, including murder appeals, Fourth Amendment issues, search-and-seizure questions, and motor vehicle stop cases. Since its launch, four clinic cases have reached final disposition, with victories in three, including two murder appeals.<\/p>\n
The depth of the students\u2019 involvement benefits both their education and the clinic\u2019s representation of clients. For Cheek, the significance of that responsibility became especially clear after meeting the client.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember the weight and importance of the appeal hitting me after I met the client and wondering whether I was equipped to take on a case like this,\u201d Cheek said. \u201cLuckily, I had two incredible attorneys as mentors, so over time the weight of the case stopped being something that caused me to hesitate or doubt myself and started being something that motivated me to push myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
That combination of responsibility and close faculty mentorship is a defining feature of the clinic. Students spend substantial time studying their cases, developing knowledge that can strengthen the clinic\u2019s representation of clients.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe spend so much class time and have so many additional brains and really bright people who are reviewing the case materials and bringing their ideas and thinking them through,\u201d Bourn says.<\/p>\n
Students also bring fresh perspectives that can challenge assumptions experienced attorneys may take for granted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the students see the injustice that maybe we\u2019ve become not blind to, but used to,\u201d Barber says.<\/p>\nErica Barber \u201914 and Jennifer Bourn \u201904<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Tradition of Mentorship<\/strong><\/p>\nFor Barber and Bourn, teaching the clinic continues a tradition that helped shape their own careers. Both participated in UConn Law’s appellate and trial clinics as students during what Bourn called the “Tim Everett and Todd Fernow era.”<\/p>\n
\u201cMy whole career is attributable to the clinic,\u201d Barber says.<\/p>\n
She credits the clinic with leading to her first judicial clerkship and first law firm job. That mentorship continues today. Fernow still returns as a guest lecturer, and Barber regularly seeks his advice on challenging legal issues.<\/p>\n
Bourn says the clinic confirmed her decision to pursue public defense work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe clinic was really the first time in law school that I felt like, \u2018Oh yeah, this is why I came. This is what I want to be doing.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, Barber and Bourn hope to provide the same support for their own students, encouraging graduates to stay connected as they build careers in criminal defense, appellate advocacy, and public service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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