November 11, 2026
ST. LOUIS — After six weeks learning how criminal cases move through the justice system, participants in the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office Citizens Academy faced a final assignment inside a courtroom: Weigh the evidence and reach a verdict.
Neither of the two mock juries could agree unanimously.
The November 4 exercise at Carnahan Courthouse concluded the office’s fall Citizens Academy, giving participants firsthand experience with testimony, legal arguments and the responsibilities of jurors. VOTP News STL documented the proceedings and interviewed graduates afterward.
The simulated case involved a confrontation between a homeowner and an HVAC crew that escalated into a shooting. Prosecutors argued that the fictional defendant committed first-degree assault. The defense raised self-defense, asking jurors to consider the defendant’s perception of the confrontation.
Participants listened as witnesses testified and attorneys challenged their accounts. After closing arguments, the mock jurors separated to discuss the case.
When they returned, both groups reported that they had been unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
The result prompted a discussion about intent, the burden of proof and the possibility of lesser offenses. One participant questioned whether the defendant had fired to injure someone or to frighten the person, illustrating how different interpretations of testimony can shape a jury’s decision.
For graduate Ronald Jones, that uncertainty became one of the program’s most important lessons.
“It’s not as easy as you think,” Jones told VOTP News STL. He said the exercise challenged the assumptions people sometimes make about guilt or innocence while watching crime coverage on television.
During a separate group interview, another graduate described the importance of applying the law rather than relying entirely on personal opinion, even when jurors disagree about the facts.
Danelle Triplett said the academy gave her a closer look at what prosecutors, police and other justice system employees do. She also pointed to the Circuit Attorney’s Office’s community engagement activities as something she had not fully understood before enrolling.
“They’re just like us,” Triplett said of the people she met through the program.
Hector Gonzalez, a retired military service member, said he joined to become more involved in the community and better understand how decisions are made in court. He said lessons about self-defense and the limits of a lawful response were particularly memorable.
The Citizens Academy began September 30 and covered charging decisions, prosecution, victim services, diversion programs and investigations. According to the Circuit Attorney’s Office, participants also visited police headquarters, toured the Real Time Crime Center and took part in a police training simulator. The fall class was the office’s third Citizens Academy.
VOTP News STL previously reported that more than 70 people applied for 20 available spots. In an earlier interview, Leann J. Mosby, director of community engagement for the Circuit Attorney’s Office, discussed efforts to make the legal process more accessible to residents.
The November 4 graduation brought that reporting full circle: Residents who began the program seeking answers finished it with a more direct appreciation of the difficult questions jurors are asked to resolve.
The shooting and defendant depicted in the mock trial were fictional. No actual criminal verdict was at issue.
Photography and original field reporting: VOTP News STL.
