Investigator Bill Riley, left, and Major J.T. Williams, right, both of the Mathews County Sheriff’s Office, and Mathews High School business law teacher Karen Lloyd helped MHS student Taylor Williams, seated, get ready on May 2 for a mock trial. Williams is portraying the Commonwealth’s Attorney. The trial, which was held on May 8 in Mathews Circuit Court, was based on case files from the 2012 case Commonwealth of Virginia vs. Brit Reynolds. Students prepared by developing questions, gathering evidence and creating a "game plan" for presenting the case to the judge, said Lloyd. They are using critical thinking skills and creative resources, she said, working as teams, and applying what they’ve learned about the legal process in order to conduct the trial. Below, Mathews County Sheriff’s Office "Investigator" Chris Perreault, at right, interrogates "suspect" Bill Riley, left, as the suspect’s cohort, Chase Smith, observes.  
...