Student’s name: ___________________
Period: ______
Date: _________________________
Mr. Cleon M. McLean
Department of English
Ontario High School
(Scottish) People versus Her Royal Majesty, Lady Macbeth
Constable (British police officer; notice the pun: con-stable=unstable) McLean has taken
into custody one Lady Macbeth of Inverness (not to be confused with the eternal
furnace). Evidently, the Lady’s fall from her bedroom window had been broken by a
bed of branches from Birnam Wood used to camouflage a tight group of English Infantry
men who had advanced upon the castle surreptitiously. Upon further investigation,
Constable McLean discovered that Lady Macbeth was attempting suicide. Her act came
less than a fortnight after King Duncan of Scotland was murdered in his sleep within the
very castle. While being taken under medical care, Lady Macbeth was overheard wailing,
“I have royal blood on my hands!”
Particulars:
Charge: The defendant, Lady Macbeth, is hereof charged with premeditated regicide.
If convicted, she is to be publicly executed in the manner of the penultimate Thane of
Cawdor.
Defense: Lady Macbeth has put forth the following as her defensive posture:
1. Spousal duress
2. Clinically documented mental infirmities/antic-disposition—i.e., sleep-walking
and fainting spells
3. Incapacities brought on by strong spirits (alcohol) during royal rollick
Witnesses:
1. Lady in Waiting: Saw and heard the Defendant during a sleep-walk
2. Doctor: Saw and heard the Defendant during a sleep-walk
3. Porter: While others claimed he was drunk on the night of King Duncan’s murder,
this witness swore otherwise. He claimed that, in his sound mind, he was able to
profess a treatise on the merits—and lack thereof—of alcohol and its relation to
sex, to the Thane of Fife, Macduff
4. Malcolm and Donaldbain: claimed to have been somewhat in the drowse of sleep
on the night of their father’s murder, but might have seen a lady’s shadow
standing over their father’s (sleeping?)guards
There will be a bench of three magistrates to preside over the trial. Since this is a regicide,
there will be no jury (after all, a jury of the Defendant’s peers would call for a complete
royal coterie; truly an expensive accommodation). Also, since the Defendant is the
heritor of the Scottish royal exchequer, she is to be afforded a team of lawyers (for,
unlike our dearth in royal personage, we certainly do not have a shortage of these). The
prosecution shall be equally equipped with a representative team.
1
Student’s name: ___________________
Period: ______
Date: _________________________
Mr. Cleon M. McLean
Department of English
Ontario High School
PERIOD THREE
Honorary Bench of Magistrates: 1. Siosiua (Tecky) Koloa
2. Denisse Mejia
3. Jimmy Yang
Prosecuting Team
Defense Team
1. Jeremiah J. May
1. Adele F. Leslie
2. Martha Serrano
2. Crystal J. Equihua
3. Narciso A. Ramirez
3. Basilia E. Pimental
4. Ali Barajas
4. Ngozi N. Udeh
5. Veronica R. Quiroz
5. Eric B. Hong
6. Vincent T. Nguyen
6. Madeline M. Ramos
7. Jasmine Espinoza
7. Bianca Gomez
8. Carolyn A. Hernandez
8. Christian R. Hernandez
9. Linda K. Hoang
9. Denise D. Garnica
10. Alex Ramirez
10. Ricky Paez
11. Christian Gutierrez
11. Yaritza Cuevas
12. Misty T. Ngo
12. Andrew Jacquez
13. Larry Vasquez
13. Noemi Benitez
14. Mujdah Sadiq
14. Jocelyn Torres
PERIOD FIVE
Honorary Bench of Magistrates: 1. Ana M. Aragon
2. Daniel Lopez
3. Cecilia Nunez
Prosecuting Team
1. Yesenia D. Barrios
2. David Rivera
3. Jimmy Thai
4. Magaly Pineda
5. Daniela B. Vasquez
6. Michelle Sanchez
7. Susan Lopez
8. Elio Lopez-Morales
9. Marissa M. Garcia
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Defense Team
Brenda R. Loeza
Juan Ochoa
Alejandro Policarpo
Austin E. Baeza
Leidy Brito
Christina L. Estrada
Karla Machuca
Patricia Soto
Richard Morones
Particulars:
 Each team will select its witnesses and attorneys.
 The Defense team will select the defendant.
 The Prosecuting team will supply the bailiff—i.e., the person responsible for swearing in the
witnesses and asking the witnesses to sit or to leave the stand. The bailiff will use a copy of
“Macbeth” (rather than the Holy Bible) to swear in witnesses.
 Each side must select an attorney to present a 3-minute opening statement, and an attorney to
present a 5-minute closing statement. One attorney may present both statements.
 Everyone is responsible for preparations of his/her respective side of the case.
 The magistrates will decide how much time will be given for direct examination and for cross
examination of each witness, once a list of the witnesses has been submitted to the magistrates.
 The magistrates will have five minutes to decide the case. They will consider all evidence
presented, and reflect their considerations in their decision. The magistrates’ decision will be final
and binding.
2
Student’s name: ___________________
Period: ______
Date: _________________________
Mr. Cleon M. McLean
Department of English
Ontario High School
Scoring guide for the trial of William Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth
Feature
10
Student shows a reckless disregard
for mature, sensitive, and respectful
language. If there is any purposeful
Debate etiquette
listening, it is not realized in the
address of concerns raised or
counter-arguments.
Subject
knowledge
Student does not have any true
grasp of information; student
cannot answer questions about
subject.
15
20
25
Total
Student shows little regard for
mature, sensitive, and respectful
language. There is hardly an
attempt to listen and address
concerns or counter-arguments.
Student generally uses appropriate
language. There is a general
attempt to listen, anticipate, and
address concerns or counterarguments.
Student uses language that
conveys maturity, sensitivity, and
respect; listens, anticipates, and
addresses concerns raised and
counter-arguments.
Student is uncomfortable with
information and is able to answer
only rudimentary questions.
Student is at ease with expected
answers to all questions, but fails
to elaborate.
Student demonstrates insightful
knowledge by answering all
questions/assertions with
explanations and elaborations.
Redirect/rebuttal Student’s response is shorter than a Student’s response is more than a Student's response falls between
time
minute or more than three minutes. minute but less than two minutes. two and three minutes.
Student structures
Student expresses
ideas/arguments in a coherent,
ideas/arguments in a logical
logical fashion; uses verbal and
manner; attempts to use rhetorical
nonverbal rhetorical strategies;
strategies; legal position is clear.
clarifies and defends position.
Opening and
closing
arguments
Student's ideas/arguments do not
flow logically; there is no attempt at
rhetorical strategies; legal stance is
unclear.
Eye contact
Student occasionally uses eye
Student reads all of his/her
contact, but still reads most of
prepared notes with no eye contact.
his/her prepared notes.
Student maintains eye contact
Student maintains eye contact with
most of the time, but often returns audience, seldom returning to
to notes.
notes.
Student mumbles, incorrectly
pronounces terms, and speaks too
quietly for the audience to hear
clearly.
Student's voice is clear. Student
pronounces most words correctly;
audience can hear statements
clearly.
Elocution
Student vaguely presents
ideas/arguments; is not conscious
of any rhetorical strategy; inclines
towards a legal stance.
Student's response lasts precisely
two minutes.
Student's voice is low. Student
incorrectly pronounces terms.
Audience members have difficulty
hearing statements.
Student uses a clear voice and
correct, precise pronunciation of
terms, allowing for the audience to
pay full and rapt attention.
Total Points out of 150:
3