Cops In Court: April 3, 2013, Andover Police Department, Andover, MA
This training is designed for all law enforcement officers handling Operating Under the Influence cases. This course focuses on increasing the ability of the law enforcement officers to communicate effectively and confidently in the courtroom by presenting the underlying rationale and importance of understanding courtroom testimony,. report writing, preparation, direct examination and cross examination.
Domestic Violence 101: Spring 2013 date TBA
This training is designed for newer prosecutors who have just started handling, or soon will be handling, domestic violence cases in the district courts. This training will equip ADAs with the knowledge and tools necessary to handle challenging domestic violence cases successfully and confidently.
Training topics include:
* Domestic Violence Dynamics and Statistics
* Making Arraignment Decisions
* Assessing the Case after Arraignment
* Preparing for Trial
* Analyzing and Arguing Common DV Issues
Investigations & Trial Advocacy In Cases Involving Digital Evidence: 2012 date TBA
This full day training for prosecutors will help to enhance witness preparation skills, explain technology and communications laws, and provide a "hands on" computer demonstration of digital evidence retrieval and analysis.
Crash Reconstruction: 2013 date TBA
This full day training for prosecutors and law enforcement officers will give an in-depth look at the dangers of distracted driving and address the challenges that arise in these difficult cases.
Sexual Assault Trial Advocacy:
This full day training was offered on September 20, 2012. This training is for district court prosecutors handling sexual assault cases or any prosecutor newer to superior court, who wants to improve their trial advocacy skills. The training will integrate group discussions, lectures, and on-your-feet drills aimed at improving the advocacy of sexual assault cases in court.
Sexual Assault 201: Fall 2013 date TBA
This full day training is for experienced District Court prosecutors and prosecutors new to Superior Court. It addresses sexual assault prosecutions from the initial case assessment to developing theories of prosecution; handling discovery issues; working with the victim; using experts (including a mock direct and cross-examination); anticipating defenses; preparing evidentiary issues for trial; and an interactive segment on effective closing arguments.
Operating Under the Influence Trial Advocacy: 2013 date TBA
This full day training will provide new prosecutors with the skills necessary to try an OUI case. Prosecutors will be trained by experienced faculty on the components of a trial - openings, direct, cross, and closing, and then broken out into small groups to discuss the dynamics of the case including - necessary witnesses, introducing evidence, cross examining the defendant, etc..
Sum and Substance Series 2012
MDAA's Sum and Substance trainings are short, two-hour trainings that the MDAA staff delivers on-site for prosecutors in their offices.
Overcoming Crawford Objections
The Supreme Court’s 2004 ruling in Crawford v. Washington continues to affect how prosecutors handle many cases, as it places serious limitations on the admissibility of certain testimonial and documentary evidence. Crawford’s impact is especially acute in domestic violence cases where the victim is unavailable to testify. This training
Reviews the core concepts of hearsay and hearsay exceptions, as they relate to the Confrontation Clause.
Discusses the current Crawford analysis for excited utterances; provide handouts summarizing this analysis and recent cases where statements were admissible despite Crawford objections.
Provides a forum for prosecutors to discuss Crawford issues in pending cases and fact patterns.
Summarizes recent federal and state case law concerning the Confrontation Clause’s affect on the admission of breath test records,motor vehicle registry certificates, service for restraining orders, medical records, probation documents, expert witnesses and dying declarations. Commonwealth v. Parenteau, Commonwealth v. Zeininger and Bullcoming v. New Mexico are a few of the cases that will be covered.
The New Breath Test Instrument: The Draeger 9510
In the Spring of 2011 the Office of Alcohol Testing began upgrading the 350 breath test instruments currently deployed across the state. The Draeger 7110 instruments were installed in 2003. The new Draeger 9510 utilizes the same breath testing technology to analyze a breath sample; however, there are several key differences including a dry gas calibration standard with a .08 ethyl alcohol concentration rather than a wet bath calibration standard with a .15 concentration. In this training prosecutors will observe the administration of a breath test on the Draeger 9510 and learn:
What the differences are between the two instruments.
What the breath testing regulations require for the new instruments.
Where prosecutors can locate breath test documents.
How to introduce a breath test result that comes from the new instrument.
What to argue when challenged on the new calibration standard the instrument employs.
Avoiding Obstacles and Offering Evidence in Domestic Violence Cases
Prosecuting a domestic violence case means handling obstacles related to exculpatory evidence, accord and satisfactions, and Fifth Amendment assertions. Trying a domestic violence case requires that prosecutors be prepared to offer various types of evidence at trial. This 1.5 hour training is designed for prosecutors with one year or less in experience. It will provide strategies for handling domestic violence obstacles and discuss using exhibits and offering evidence at trial.
This training will:
Prepare newer prosecutors to handle issues related to discovery, accord and satisfactions, and Fifth Amendment assertions in a domestic violence context.
Discuss using demonstrative evidence in a domestic violence case.
Review how to authenticate and offer photographs, 911 calls, medical records, restraining orders and handwriting samples into evidence.
Engage attendees in exercises to improve their confidence in admitting evidence at trial.
Discuss what must be redacted from medical records after they are admitted in to evidence but before they are published to the jury.
Provide participants with several sample motions, relevant case law, and handouts on the materials covered.
** Please check back for more 2012/2013 dates.
** For information on how to register for a training listed above, please call the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association at 617-723-0642.
