Case Hub · Texas High School Mock Trial
State of Texoma v. Charlie Quartz
A parent with sole custody is on trial for a killing allegedly committed by their child, who has since fled the country.
Negligent Homicide for Failure to Control a Minor, Texoma Penal Code Section 41.4
Up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000
The Charge
Negligent Homicide for Failure to Control a Minor
A person commits this offense if they have legal custody of a minor, reasonably should have known from what they knew that they needed to control the child to stop the child from deliberately hurting others or putting others at serious risk of injury or death, and their failure to do so directly causes another person's death.
How the Trial Runs
- Criminal jury trial on guilt only. If the Defendant is convicted, punishment is decided in a separate proceeding.
- No lesser included offenses may be submitted, argued or suggested.
- No defects in the indictment may be argued.
- The verdict must be unanimous.
- The verdict form asks one yes or no question: did the Defendant commit Negligent Homicide for Failure to Control a Minor. Yes means guilty, no means not guilty.
Reasonable Doubt
A doubt grounded in reason and common sense that remains after weighing all of the evidence carefully and fairly: the kind of doubt that would make a reasonable person hesitate before acting in the most important matters of their own life.
Agreed Facts
What Both Sides Stipulate
The Defendant's statement and its addendum were given freely and voluntarily. Constitutional challenges to them are off the table.
The Defendant has waived the Fifth Amendment and may not invoke it while testifying.
The Defendant has waived every psychotherapist patient, physician patient and similar privilege covering Grady Quartz, including Dr. Enyo Ehd, for all past, present and future treatment, notes, evaluations and communications. Only relevance and the Rules of Evidence still apply.
The Court examined Kennedy Dixon, a minor, and found Dixon fully competent to testify.
Julien Younger died on November 23, 2025 from Clartaxin poisoning. The death is classified as a homicide.
During a search warrant executed on November 25, 2025, the Texoma Police Department sampled residue from a table in the Defendant's basement. It tested positive for Clartaxin.
Charlie Quartz and Morgan Snyder married in Texoma on July 1, 2010 and divorced by mutual agreement effective January 1, 2013. Charlie received sole custody of their only child, Grady. Assets were split evenly, with no alimony or child support either way.
Apart from the Clartaxin residue in the basement, police found nothing illegal or unlawful in the Defendant's home or on the property at any time.
On December 25, 2025, police made a welfare check on Maurice Whitacre after he missed a family Christmas dinner. He was found dead at home with no sign of foul play or forced entry. The Medical Examiner's initial conclusion at the scene was a heart attack about four to six weeks earlier. There was no autopsy, and his family had him cremated on December 26, 2025.
Grady Quartz never consumed or possessed illegal drugs or illicit substances, including alcohol or recreational drugs.
No one involved in the case had a romantic, sexual or physical relationship with anyone else involved.
Each witness wrote and signed their statement on the date shown, with addenda signed the day of trial. No witness saw another's original statement before writing their own, and each had only the exhibits they reference. Before writing their addendum, each witness received the other five original statements and every exhibit.
Only the eleven exhibits may be used at trial, and their authenticity cannot be challenged.
Timeline
How It Unfolded
Select an event to see what happened and where it comes from.
July 1, 2010
Quartz and Snyder marry
Charlie Quartz and Morgan Snyder marry in Texoma.
Witnesses
Who Takes the Stand
Three witnesses for each side, plus the two who cannot be called. Open a witness to see who they are.
Prosecution
Defense
Unavailable Under Rule 804
Grady Quartz
Fugitive. A warrant is out for Grady's arrest for the murder of Julien Younger.
Morgan Snyder
Fugitive. A warrant is out for Morgan's arrest for aiding and abetting the escape of a fugitive.
Both are treated as unavailable under Rule 804. They are being sought by the Texoma Police Department, the FBI, Interpol and European agencies, and neither can be called. Rule 804 lets certain out of court statements of an unavailable declarant come in as exceptions to the hearsay rule.
Exhibits
The Eleven Exhibits
Only these exhibits may be used at trial, and their authenticity cannot be challenged. Select one for its details.
| No. | Exhibit | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aerial photograph of the two properties | |
| 2 | Chandler Flynn email thread | |
| 3 | Disciplinary hearing transcript, September 18, 2025 | |
| 4 | Short form autopsy report of Julien Younger | |
| 5 | Photograph of black swim goggles | |
| 6 | Photographs at the Defendant's home, November 25, 2025 | |
| 7 | Photographs at the Defendant's home, November 27, 2025 | |
| 8 | Photographs at the Defendant's home, December 4, 2025 | |
| 9 | E Mazon purchase summary, January 1 to November 26, 2025 | |
| 10 | Dr. Enyo Ehd's therapy session notes | |
| 11 | CBP travel and document encounter summary |
Map
The Quartz Property
Straight line distances from the center of the Quartz property, as the parties stipulate. Hover or tab through a line to highlight it.
Legend
- Quartz property (left)
- Maurice Whitacre property (right)
- FM 147, along the bottom
- Texoma Regional Airport
- Texoma Farmer's Market
- Texoma High School
- Texoma Pool
- Kennedy Dixon's house
Trial Prep
Prepare for the Courtroom
The procedure, objections, rules of evidence and scoring every competitor works from, plus a glossary of the terms in this case.
Exhibits
Introducing an Exhibit
These steps are for an exhibit that is not in evidence yet. Once an exhibit is admitted, any attorney can use it with any witness after asking to approach and showing it to opposing counsel.
- 1
Ask to approach
“Your Honor, may I approach the witness with what has been marked for identification as Exhibit __?”
- 2
Show it to opposing counsel
Hand them the exhibit first so they know what is coming.
- 3
Have the witness identify it
“I'm handing you what has been marked as Exhibit __. Can you tell us what it is?”
- 4
Lay the foundation
Ask how the witness knows the document, that it is what it appears to be, and how it connects to their testimony.
- 5
Offer it into evidence
“Your Honor, we offer Exhibit __ into evidence.”
- 6
Answer any objection
The judge asks the other side for objections. If there is one, explain briefly why the exhibit should come in.
- 7
Use it
Once admitted, you can question the witness about it or read from it.
- 8
Publish it to the jury
“Your Honor, may I publish Exhibit __ to the jury?”
Witnesses
Impeaching a Witness
Impeachment is for when a witness says something on the stand that contradicts their own sworn statement.
- 1
Lock in the new answer
“So your testimony today is that ___?”
- 2
Confirm the earlier statement
“You gave a written statement before trial, and you swore it was true, correct?”
If the witness says no, keep going.
- 3
Identify the statement
“Your Honor, may I approach? You recognize this as the statement you signed on ___?”
Show opposing counsel first.
- 4
Read the contradiction
“In this statement you wrote ___, didn't you?”
Read slowly and stress the words that conflict with today's answer.
- 5
Stop there
Do not ask the witness to explain or which version is true. Save the point for closing.
Objections
Handling an Objection
- 1
When you object
Stand and say it plainly: "Objection, hearsay." Explain only if the judge asks.
- 2
When the other side objects
Pause and wait for the ruling. If asked to respond, give the reason in a sentence: "Your Honor, this goes to the witness's bias."
- 3
If it is sustained
Rephrase or move on. Don't argue with the ruling.
- 4
If it is overruled
Keep going as if nothing happened.
In the Courtroom
Competition Tips
- Stand whenever you object or speak to the judge.
- Say "Your Honor," never "Judge."
- Keep objections to a word or two: "Objection, leading."
- Object when it matters, not at every chance.
- Pace your directs and crosses; time is a resource.
- Always ask permission before approaching a witness or publishing an exhibit.
The Law & Trial Association at UTD
Argue This Case at UTD
LTA's 2026 Intramural Mock Trial Competition uses this case, December 5 to 6, 2026 in a UTD campus courtroom.
Competition
December 5 to 6, 2026
UTD students argue the case before attorney judges, with Texas high school witnesses.
Workshop
Workshop 2: How To Prepare a Case for Trial
Date to be announced. Turning the case file into a trial strategy before competition day.
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