Virtual Law Day to feature keynote from Harvard Law professor, International Criminal Court prosecutor

The University of Southern Indiana College of Liberal Arts will host a virtual Law Day on Wednesday, February 10, featuring a keynote address from Alex Whiting, Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School.

Whiting is currently serving in the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, Netherlands, where he also served as Investigations Coordinator and Prosecutions Coordinator from 2010-13. Prior to his service at the ICC, he worked for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and was a U.S. federal prosecutor for the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston.

A full schedule of the day's events is below:

10 a.m.: Indiana Court of Appeals Oral Argument

The Court will hear State of Indiana v. Andrew M. Royer, 20A-PC-955, a post-conviction relief case out of Elkhart County.

The State appeals the post-conviction court's grant of Andrew Royer's successive petition for post-conviction relief. The post-conviction court found that newly discovered evidence of unconstitutional conduct by the State during Royer's 2005 felony murder trial entitled Royer to a new trial. The State argues the evidence Royer offered at his post-conviction hearing regarding the reliability of his confessions to police was known at trial or could have been discovered with the exercise of reasonable diligence; immaterial; cumulative; merely impeaching; and/or would not probably produce a different result at retrial. Royer argues that the State used false evidence implicating Royer's co-defendant to link Royer to the crime; failed to disclose material, exculpatory evidence; and failed to disclose critical impeachment evidence.

The oral arguments will be live streamed and are free and open to the public. A moderated Q&A session with the Court of Appeals will be held following oral arguments.

2 p.m.: Panel Discussion - Careers in the Legal Field

Dr. Melinda Roberts, Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, will lead a panel discussion with area legal professionals. Registration will be required for access. Zoom details will be provided upon confirmation.

6 p.m.: Keynote Presentation

Whiting will participate in an interview with Dr. Nick LaRowe, USI Associate Professor of Political Science and Coordinator of the Pre-Law Program.

For more information and to register for events, visit USI.edu/law-day or contact LaRowe at nllarowe@usi.edu.