Campus News
Dillard Mock Trial featured in 12-part documentary podcast
Dillard Mock Trial members DeAndre K. Bell II (pictured, waving) and Lejeanne Shelton
are featured on the documentary podcast series, "Class Action". Photo: Sabree Hill/Dillard
University.
By Eddie Francis, efrancis@dillard.edu
June 2, 2022
The idea behind the “Class Action” podcast was to feature law school students in the highly competitive world of mock
trial, but the Jewel of Gentilly brought something different to the table. On the
heels of their historic 2021-2022 season run, two members of the Dillard University Mock Trial Team are being featured in the twelve-part documentary series. Starting June 7, listeners
will hear the inspiring story of the team’s season through the voices of DeAndré K.
Bell II ‘23 and Lejeanne Shelton ‘22.
Oddly, the mock trial team can thank Hurricane Ida for the addition to the series.
The “Class Action” producers, Sound Argument, LLC, had been focusing on law school
students; but one of them had a hunch. After hearing about the devastating storm,
Kevin Huffman searched for teams in New Orleans, and that’s when something different
popped up. Intrigued, he reached out to Coach Adria Kimbrough who shared that the
team was dispersed at the time because of Ida. “Within minutes of speaking to Adria
and hearing her description of the team, I knew that our best-laid plans of law schools-only
was going out of the window,” said Huffman.
What Huffman and fellow producer Lisa M. Gray found was a riveting collection of stories
from a group of mock trial superstars in the making. Huffman spoke to team president
Amaya Ronczyk on the phone in September 2021 and followed up by hiring a local producer
to record the team’s practices. When the team arrived, they noticed something different
about the Dillard team. “The joy and vitality heard in those practices was something that the law school students
had seemingly outgrown,” commented Huffman.
The first tournament Sound Argument attended was the Chucky Mullins Spooktacular Invitational
at the University of Mississippi. They were hooked. Huffman recalls the team winning
multiple awards and maintains that they should have won the tournament. “But they
were so engaging behind the scenes and professional in the courtroom, that we became
convinced they could compete against most law schools.”
A little later, Jason R.A. Foster joined the producers and took inventory of Dillard’s
cast of characters. “Lejeanne's humor and wit were on full display when I met her, as well as her knack
for getting the team amped up before a round,” he said. “DeAndré reminded me of a college colleague who was SGA president at my university. Caitlin
(Douglas) is an organizer and activist as well as a budding artist, so we had a lot
in common off the bat. The thing that set the whole team apart was their shared vision
to make it to (the American Mock Trial Association National Championship Tournament).”
Foster also recalls that Ronczyk was reserved, at first, but grew into her role as
the team’s president.
Members of the mock trial team show their certificates after receiving a proclamation
from the City of New Orleans for a historic 2021-2022 season. Also pictured are New
Orleans city councilmember Eugene Green (far left), coaches Judge Kern Reese, L.H.D.
'22 (second from left) and Alicia D. Frison (third from left), and councilmembers
Helena Moreno (second from right) and Joseph Giarrusso III (far right).
Bell and Shelton undoubtedly provided lots of material. “DeAndré is just so bright and engaging,” Huffman said. “He has a curious mind and is a dynamo
in the courtroom. His religious beliefs and his political ambitions (he’s running
for president in 2040) are genuine.” Huffman continued, “Lajeanne is, to me, a lion–just
strong and fierce and bursting with energy. She is a natural leader and truly loves
mock trial. She is well known within the undergrad mock trial community.”
It is often said that Dillard, like almost all HBCUs, punches above its weight and that has been very much reflected in the performance of the mock trial team. That the DU mock trial team was able to best teams from the Ivy League and bigger institutions “handily,” according to Huffman, made it easy for the Sound Argument crew to forget about Dillard’s size or even that it has neither a pre-law major nor a law school.
Punching above their weight is about more than competition and bragging rights. Dillard’s
pre-law program, which houses the mock trial team, was established to diversify the legal profession
and Foster saw the team live out that mission in front of his eyes. “Not to be too
heavy about it, but it was a bit like a microcosm of the justice system laid bare
in front of my eyes. You could say the mock trial competition is a microcosm of the
country,” he said. “It's the same story, though, just a different medium. Oftentimes,
Black folks and people of color have to make a lot with a little; and that's what
Dillard did before and during their historic run. They also had help from the community
and Dillard alumni.”
The mock trial team, like their pre-law peers, stand on a rock-solid foundation. It’s
a legacy born from the days of Straight University, whose law program produced P.B.S.
Pinchback, Louis A. Martinet and Rudolph Desdunes; and it extends to the Dillard tradition
of justice warriors such as Justice Revius O. Ortique Jr., Lolis Edward Elie, Nils
Douglas, Judge Carl Stewart, and Shana Broussard.
These students are, because their alumni were.
The team didn’t put the kind of exclamation point on the season that they hoped they
would. Still, making it to the National Championship Tournament was an unprecedented
and distinguished accomplishment. And for that, Dillard Mock Trial earned even more
respect from the mock trial community than they had before. “On several occasions
they were singled out by their peers as a team that best represented the spirit of
mock trial,” Huffman noted. “I know that can sound like a consolation prize to some,
but it isn’t. Dillard was, far and away, the most gracious, professional and warm-spirited
team in the field.” As much was represented by the team winning the Spirit of AMTA
Award. Reneé Simien ‘22 was named an All-American Witness and Shelton was named an
All-American Attorney.
Kevin Huffman had a hunch and it was a great one. “Sometimes opportunity knocks and
we are so glad that we opened the door.”
“Class Action” is hosted by Katie S. Phang, host of the “The Katie Phang Show” on
MSNBC and Peacock. The podcast will be available on iHeart, Apple and other major
podcast platforms.
