Journalism students attend murder trial
Following the old mantra of learning outside the classroom, journalism students recently covered a murder trial as an assignment in OCCC’s News Writing class.
Each semester, students in News Writing classes cover a felony trial between the sixth and twelfth week of class.
The idea of covering a trial is not a new one, said Journalism Professor Sue Hinton.
Hinton said students in her News Writing classes have been covering trials for about 25 years. She and Journalism Professor Clay Randolph currently teach News Writing.
Hinton said she added the trial assignment to class as a way for students to cover a real-life event.
Randolph said trial coverage is a vital part of the News Writing class.
“It’s possibly the most important thing in any class that I teach,” said Randolph.
“On a social level, it’s important for every citizen to attend a serious felony trial once in their life,” he said.
One of Randolph’s students, Jenny Atteberry, had a similar view.
“Everybody should go to a trial to see how the legal system works,” she said.
Hinton said it is an important exercise for students who want to be journalists.
“Tape recorders are not allowed in the courtroom so you have to take notes,” she said. “You learn how to write fast.”
Student Charlie Scheihing said covering a trial requires focus.
“It was eye opening because I didn’t realize how important the details were,” he said.
The classes go to a murder trial because of the type of case it is, Hinton said.
“Most murder cases go to trial more often than other types of cases,” she said.
Once a trial is selected and begins, students must go to at least one session.
This can be a morning or afternoon session, Randolph said.
He said students learn to take notes, get names correct and make a story from their notes.
“The point is to learn how to tell someone who didn’t know what happened,” Randolph said.
Scheihing, a law major at the University of Oklahoma.
He said going to trial reinforced his desire to become a lawyer.
“It showed me why we need good lawyers,” Scheihing said.
“It gives you the chance to write about something most people don’t get to experience.”
Staff Writer Matthew Caban can be reached at staffwriter3@occc.edu.
