Name _______________________________ Period ___________ Role: ___________________

The Tell Tale Heart

Mock Trial Worksheet
DIRECTIONS: Read each argument in the center column of the chart. In the right column, write 2
piece of te!tual e"idence from #The Tell Tale $eart% to how how the #er"ant& 'narrarator(%
crime could )t the de)nition of *oth )rt+degree murder and inanit,. -e ure to .uote or
paraphrae from the te!t and ue page num*er to indicate where ,ou found thi e"idence. /or
thi acti"it, we will name the er"ant #0llen 1oe% and the Old 2an will *e 3nown a #2r. Edgar.%
Murder in the First Degree 4 The ditinguihing factor of )rt degree murder i pre+
meditation. /irt degree murder i uuall, part of a larger cheme, done *, poion, done after
l,ing in wait and5or planned. It often in"ol"e weapon 'epeciall, gun(.
Insanity 4mental illne of uch a e"ere nature that a peron cannot ditinguih fanta, from
realit,, cannot conduct her5hi a6air due to p,choi, or i u*7ect to uncontrolla*le impuli"e
*eha"ior. In criminal cae, a plea of 8not guilt, *, reaon of inanit,8 will re.uire a trial on the
iue of the defendant9 inanit, 'or anit,( at the time the crime wa committed. (Also see
Terms to Know)

Arguments Textual Evidence (use page numbers)
(at least 2 pieces of evidence)
Prosecution :
This side is
arguing
against
Allen Poe
to convince
the jur he!s
guilt o"
first degree
murder
#$ The crime is %remeditated$ That
means it is decided u%on ahead o"
time and o"ten involves %lanning$
Mr$ Allen Poe tells us that it had
haunted him da and night& and that
"inall he made u% his mind to take the
li"e o" the old man$ All over his disgust
'ith the diseased ee ()#* +,-.$
-$ The crime is committed a"ter ling in
'ait and is %er"ormed deli/eratel
*$ The narrator uses a 'ea%on$ +de"ine
'ea%on "irst.
0$ +1ounter Argument. The narrator is
sane$ He understands the severit o"
his actions and2or is N3T im%ulsive$
4e"ense:
This side is
arguing on
/ehal" o"
Allen Poe to
convince the
jur he!s
not guilty by
reason of
insanity
#$ The narrator cannot distinguish
"antas "rom realit$ +5n other 'ords&
his %erce%tion o" realit doesn!t
match u% 'ith the truth.
-$ The narrator does not understand the
severit o" his actions +He does not
kno' right "rom 'rong.
3R
The narrator!s mental illness inter"eres
'ith his dail li"e$
*$ The narrator is im%ulsive and cannot
control his actions$
3R
The narrator 'as insane at the time the
murder 'as committed
1ounterargument:
Montresor does not %remeditate +or %lan.
the murder$
3R
He does not use a 'ea%on$
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