Scenario
Rolias Lake is a pristine hunting and fishing resort area in central Wisconsin
located three hours north of the state capital, Madison. This small community
has only one high school, Jefferson Community Unit District High School.
On May 15, 1998 at approximately 12:15 pm a sixteen Jefferson High School
student, carrying at least two guns, opened fire in the Library / Resource
Center and killed two students and the Librarian, while injuring several
others. Calling this a copy cat crime, police have released the following
details to date:
- The 16 year old accused of the crime has been described by friends,
teachers and fellow students as a loner and a hunting afficiando.
- Physically, he is small for his age and a little over weight.
- His girlfriend had just recently broken up with him, and several students
had overheard him more than once proclaiming that she would regret her
decision. The girl was one of the two students killed in the assault.
- Meanwhile, members of this small community, still reeling from the
shock of this crime, and having buried three of their own, have begun to
put enormous pressure on the state legislature to significantly revise
existing state gun legislation.
- In response the Wisconsin state legislature has formed a special, joint
committee to hear both sides of the debate over this proposed ban. Given
special powers of subpoena, the members of this committee have summoned
representatives from various interest groups in the Rolias Lake area to
present testimony before they vote to recommend or not recommend a full
hearing before both houses of the legislature.
All of you have been selected to participate in this special hearing.