Herrmann’s Class Puts Hercules on Trial

English teacher Katie Herrmann’s freshman 1st and 2nd hour English 9 honors classes were tasked with putting together a mock trial charging Hercules with a crime in the present day. The class took place in Library Classroom A. The trial was on Wednesday, October 19th, 2022. Each student plays a role in the trial and must come prepared to play their part.

The students were assigned to read “Hercules” and the class was grouped into three sections: prosecutors, defendants, and jurors. 

“Hercules” is a story about a Demi-God (half-man-half-god) who was known for his strength and stamina. He was known as a hero who saved townspeople from dangerous mythical beings.  

Herrmann, an Arrowhead English 9 teacher, is the teacher who assigned this trial to her students. She says the amount of time given to the class to prepare was “not much, really. Since these students are in English 9 Honors, the class moves at a pretty quick pace. The attorneys had two class periods to prepare their cases, and then we spent another presenting it.”

After the trial played out, the jurors had the next class period to vote anonymously as to whether or not Hercules is guilty and if he should be held accountable for his crime. 

Chloe Rose, an Arrowhead freshman says, “In the first hour’s trial, which I was a part of, the result was that Hercules was not guilty. We decided not to give him a penalty because of the mental issues he seemed to have. Instead, we decided to ask to put Hercules with the other gods based on the evidence provided by the defense.” 

Herrmann said Hercules was being charged with “assault, terror, murder.” 

Hermann said this case did not question witnesses like a criminal trial, but “attorneys presented only oral arguments, and got an opportunity to present a rebuttal, more similar to a Supreme Court hearing.”

Rose says, “I enjoyed this assignment, it was fascinating to see both sides of a story where most people would think there would be a clear answer, yet it was still a very hard decision to make.”