On November 11th, 2023, running political candidate for Emerald Bend, Taylor Alexander, was out on a daily morning jog before his scheduled debate that afternoon with political rival, Harper Dorais, when he was abruptly grabbed by an attacker and thrown into the back of a car.
Alexander’s head was covered with a pillowcase to obscure his sight, and when he arrived at a distant location, his kidnapper roughly tied him to a chair before forcing him to drink an unknown substance that knocked him out. Several hours later, Alexander awoke to his wrists and legs untied. Taking the pillowcase off his head, he realized with a shock that he recognized the location he’d been taken to: one of his rental properties, a building on 1335 Lakeside Drive.
After waking up untied and alone, Alexander quickly called the police, and the deputy who arrived on the scene, Detective Riley Kim, noted Alexander’s testimony of what happened and collected available evidence: the ropes, photographs of the tire track the kidnapper’s vehicle left on the driveway, and the pillowcase—identified as one belonging to the Gold Standard Inn, the family hotel owned by Dorais’ spouse, Logan Gold.
Detective Kim’s investigation revealed further evidence linking Gold to the alleged kidnapping. Some witnesses reported alleged animosity between Gold and Alexander due to Alexander’s support for vacation rentals, which threatened Gold’s family business. A warrant-backed search of Gold’s home uncovered a receipt for rope similar to that which was used to tie Alexander. Despite Gold’s alibi of delivering campaign flyers and experiencing a car breakdown on the day of the incident, enough implicating evidence led to Gold’s arrest on December 4, 2023—a few days after his spouse, Harper Dorais, won the election vote.
The state of California moved to charge defendant Logan Gold with kidnapping of the victim, in violation of penal code section 207(a). Gold’s defense team, however, have assembled a strong case advocating for their client’s innocence, pointing out flaws in the prosecution’s case, along with Alexander’s own motive for potentially faking the kidnapping.
One of the key points of clash between Alexander and Dorais was that of rental properties and increasing tourism in Emerald Bend. Alexander advertised the economic prosperity it could bring, while Dorais (and Gold) passionately advocated against the environmental harms and increase in potential crime and noise pollution from tourist populations.
As such, Gold’s defense team pointed out that Alexander also had a powerful financial motive to win the election, as his only source of income came from his rental properties. That, paired with what they argue to be shaky evidence, have made for a controversial case regarding Gold’s innocence in the alleged political kidnapping.
The Los Osos Mock Trial team have been working relentlessly at this case since the fact situation and subsequent witness statements were released in September of 2024. Mock Trial team members work under the guidance of legitimate, experienced lawyer coaches—district attorney (and ‘09 Osos alumni) Gavin Li, along with San Bernardino County Chief Assistant DA Michael Fermin—to study the case packet and assemble questioning for courtroom competitions that are overseen by real judges and attorney scorers. Mock Trial information is released in late September, and team members meet at Mr. Pielstick’s room after school every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3:00-5:00 p.m. to work on case material and collaborate on trial strategy.
There are currently 32 members on the Osos Mock Trial team, split into four sections: (Varsity) Gold Defense, (Varsity) Gold Prosecution, (Junior Varsity) Blue Defense, and (JV) Blue Prosecution. Together, these 4 teams practiced hours every week for months, before competing in November and December. The Gold (Varsity) team went 3-0 and was ranked third in the county out of (#) teams, before losing to the #1 team, Redlands East Valley, in round 4.
Nonetheless, the LOHS Mock Trial team had a strong performance this year.