mock trial direct

Attorney: Good evening. Could you please introduce yourself to the court?

• Danielle Benoît

• 17 years old

• Senior at Nanticoke High School

Attorney: How has your experience been there?

• It was okay

• Would say I was pretty well-liked for a while

• Tried to stay out of trouble

• Never really had any problems with anyone before I ran for student council president

Attorney: How did the campaign begin for you?

• So when my parents became aware of my intention to run, they advised me to make a slate, which is essentially like a group of people you run with, so me and my friends formed one

• And it started pretty well

• We were so eager to start, we even put up a poster on the first day we could! 

Attorney: Did anyone decide to run against you?

Yes. On September 16, 2024, Dana Luna also signed up to run for President.

Attorney: How did Dana’s candidacy make you feel?

• Honestly at first, I was a little upset

• because all my friends from my slate were running unopposed, and I was worried that I would be left out

• But I quickly got over that mindset and just tried to embraced the challenge instead

Attorney: Did you interact with Dana during the campaign?

Yes, in fact, I went up to him in the hallways two days later to introduce myself and welcome him to the race, because I just wanted to get off on the right foot with them, I just didn’t want there to be any bad blood or hard feelings.

Attorney: What was your impression of Dana’s campaign?

• Based on what he told me, his campaign focused on redirecting funds from our football program to the to science one

• I thought the policy was slightly odd, because Nanticoke is HUGE about football

• But of course, this never meant I had any personal issues with Dana, simply differences in opinions

Attorney: How did you respond to their campaign policies?

I simply put up a poster highlighting our difference in platforms. I wanted to show students that I embraced our strong football culture while of course, also contrasting my opponent’s policies

Attorney: What happened after you posted this?

• I guess Dana took it upon himself to put up his own posters which, unlike mine, WERE personal, they had absolutely nothing to do with my campaign or campaign policies

• They were all about questioning my background, implying I wasn’t from Maryland, even though I’ve lived here since I was two years old

Attorney: Did these posters change your experience at school?

Yes, people started asking weird questions, like whether I preferred clam chowder over crab cakes, which was strange, but mostly hurtful, because I AM from Maryland. I know I wasn’t born here but this is my home, and I had zero control over what people were getting mad at me for. Then this Instagram account, @Truth_or_Danielle popped up started putting up posts mocking and harassing me.

Attorney: Can you please explain what the @Truth_Or_Danielle account was posting?

• They were posting these images of a lobster supposed to be me in these distressing situations. Some were more social like me having a bad sense of fashion and sitting alone at lunch

• But more were physical like me drowning, being boiled alive, being killed with a mallet

• All because they said I had “New England Spirit,” which was a lie anyway

Attorney: Danielle, do you have New England spirit? 

No. How could I? I don’t even remember anything before the age of five. Them saying I have “New England Spirit” was just a blatant lie.

Attorney: How did these posts affect you?

• I genuinely felt like the most hated person at school. 

• Everyone avoided me and those who didn’t would shout at me in the halls, and call me names

• And then random people started messaging me and harassing me directly

• I couldn’t focus on schoolwork anymore

• I had trouble sleeping, like I was suffocating

• I just felt like everyone wanted me to kill myself

Attorney: Danielle, I’m going to ask you to describe a few of the Instagram posts. Can you describe to the jury what you think of the first page in front of you, Exhibits 7a and 7b?

It seems to be depicting me as a lobster, with a red flag, I guess symbolizing that I’m a problem. There’s even a comment on the Instagram post that said being from New England is a serious red flag, so I guess it’s pretty clear that Nanticoke feels the same way.

Attorney: Danielle, can you read off some of the comments from the Instagram posts to the jury?

Ummm, okay.

• “Danielle needs to realize that their days are numbered. Just vanish already! #GoneForever”

• “Why should we waste our food on someone who can’t even keep friends? Let them starve.”

• “I’d rather eat out of a dumpster than sit alone like that loser.” #SocialSuicide

I’m sorry, do I have to continue?

Attorney: Did you feel safe at school after this?

No, how COULD I feel safe? It felt like I was in hostile territory, even walking into school made my heart race and made me feel like I was having panic attacks.

Attorney: What did you do in response to these posts?

I ignored these posts at first, I thought the person behind the account would get bored or tired or just realize how much they were hurting me and stop. I didn’t want to retaliate against Dana, because I just tried to tell myself two wrongs wouldn’t make a right. But I eventually told the principal on October 7, 2024, and contacted the police that same day. I regret waiting so long, but it was because I was so overwhelmed and didn’t even know who to go to.

Attorney: Have you sought out any professional mental health help?

My parents really think I should; I’m kind of hesitant about it right now but it’s definitely something that I’m open to if the panic attacks and problems at school continue