MORE than 2,000 years later, a federal court of New York City on May 16 acquitted Socrates.
This mock trial was organised by the Alexander Onassis Public Benefit Foundation in cooperation with some of New York’s leading judges and lawyers.
During the hearing all accusations against Socrates in the 399BC trial were examined to determine whether Socrates was guilty of “not acknowledging the gods the city acknowledged” and of “corrupting the young men of the city”.
The court comprised chief judges in the New York area Dennis Jacobs, Carol Bagley Amon and Loretta A Preska. Jacobs and Amon voted in favour of acquitting Socrates.
The prosecutors were Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, New York Assistant District Attorney, and Dr Anthony Papadimitriou, president of the Onassis Foundation. The defence attorneys were Benjamin Brafman and Edward Walter Hayes. Princeton University professor Alexander Nehamas provided academic advice.
The jury - 185 members of the audience - agreed with the verdict.
ANA
