Stueber 1

Lydia Stueber

Ms. Moser

21 April 2017

Response to Mock Trial

I got his gun, sat down, and waited for him to come home. This quote is one of the

many statements that we hear from Dale Reynolds, the accused, while on trial. After the trail,

Dale was convicted as guilty of first degree murder by the jury and sentenced. I agree with the

sentencing, as I thought the evidence clearly showed that he was guilty. The applicable law of

the affidavit also leads to the conclusion that Dale Reynolds was found guilty.

First degree murder is defined as when a person has a premeditated intent to cause the

death of another person, causes the death of another person. Dale Reynolds had premeditated

intent in the case of the murder of his step-father. Thomas Simpson was an abusive, drug-

dealing, alcoholic man with anger problems. He beats me all the time and he is a danger to

everyone all the time are two quotes from Reynolds. Simpson came home the night before the

murder and accused Reynolds of stealing his marijuana. Reynolds argued with him, telling him

he didnt touch the drugs. SImpson beat Dale and told him he was going to kill him.

Reynolds responded by drinking early the next morning. An important point that I thought

should be noted is that Dale is 18, which is 3 years under the legal age. He went to school,

where his ex-girlfriend, Jan Martinez, described Dale as really moody and hanging out with

the wrong crowd, as he usually did. Dale went home, got his stepfathers gun out of his safe,

sat down on the couch, and waited for Simpson to come home. Dale argued that he believed his

stepfather had truly been going to kill him. He explained that I only wanted to threaten him, I

was going to tell him that he couldnt talk to me like that anymore, he couldnt beat me and my

mom and my sister anymore.

 Stueber 2

An important aspect of this case is the point of Battered Child Syndrome. Professional

psychologist Dr. Pat Carroll testified that Dale Reynolds definitely suffered battered child

syndrome. Dale suffered daily at the hands of his stepfather, along with his mother and sister.

Dale truly believed that Simpson was going to kill him and claims he only wanted to threaten

him. However, the affidavit reads, the mere presence of battered child syndrome does not in

itself provide justification for killing ones parent. Evidence must still be considered in the context

of self defense and based, upon the defendant's subjective impression of the potential for

g]danger, s-he must reasonably believe that the victim intended to inflict death or great bodily

harm ad there was an imminent danger of such harm being accomplished.

While Simpson was harmful almost every day, he was not immediately intending to inflict

death or harm on Dale. Evidence has been presented by Detective Nickie Loo that I found the

body on the doorstep. Simpson hadnt even fully entered the house when Dale Reynolds shot

him. Reynolds had intent to shoot and kill Simpson in the doorway before he even entered.

There were two bullets to the head, and the body was in the doorway, on the steps. Detective

Loo testified that when he entered the house, there was a high alcohol level. Dale was 3 years

under the age, and had shot and killed a man. He was in an unsteady state of mind, and was

also suffering from battered child syndrome. None of these things add up to anything good. The

Prosecutions sentencing claim that Dale waited for him to come home, open the door, and

shoot and kill him, is what was found Dale guilty.

Based on evidence, the affidavit, the testimonies of the witnesses and Dale Reynolds

himself, I agree with the jurys rule of guilty. However, it has been concluded by a professional

that Dale Reynolds suffered from battered child syndrome, and suffered along with his mother

and sister daily from Simpson. It is a tragedy that Dale Reynolds choose to act the way he did.

One can only wish that Simpson would be the one declared guilty and sent away, not Dale.