OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Seventh graders from Loranger Memorial School took reading to a whole new level Friday with a mock trial based on the book “The Outsiders.”

“The Outsiders,” a coming of age novel by S. E. Hinton, was published in 1967 and is about two rival rural Oklahoma teenage gangs, the Greasers and the Socials. Johnny, a Greaser, ends up killing Bob, a Social, in a brawl.

Students assembled in the school library in a number of roles including attorneys, witnesses and jury members in a trial to determine whether Johnny was guilty of murder. Language Arts teacher Tish Kuchta played the judge.

Shea O’Connor, playing a prosecutor, said Johnny was guilty of murder, noting that Johnny had a switch blade that was more than 5 inches, and there for considered an illegal weapon.

“Murder is the worst crime known to mankind,” he said.

Dylan Vonderhaar, as a defense attorney, said Johnny had never hurt anyone before and he acted in self defense.

“He is an innocent kid who was protecting himself and a friend,” he said.

Daniel Yegge, wearing a black leather jacket and his hair slicked back, in the role of a Greaser named Two Bit, testified that Johnny was a nice boy.

“I knew him very well would never do anything like this on purpose,” he said.

Reese Ahearn, in the role of Johnny, wearing a denim jacket and speaking in a southern accent, said he feared for his and friend Pony Boy’s lives.

“He was going to kill us,” he said. 

Members of the jury deliberated and found Johnny “not guilty” because of self defense.

Kuchta said students participated in the mock trial in conjunction with reading the book. She said the students conducted research for the exercise, and worked on public speaking, book analysis, reading comprehension and playing the role of a character.

“It pulls in so many different skills,” said Kuchta. 

After the mock trial, Ahearn said the experience was fun and he enjoyed learning how the court system works. 

“I loved the book,” he said. “It has the perfect amount of excitement and depth.”

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.