KIP Student Feature – Victoria Beharry
Victoria Beharry (CAS’26, Political Science) put her interest in law to work over the summer as an intern for the Florida State Attorney’s Office, 4th Judicial Circuit. As an intern, Victoria helped put together trials and “earned greater respect for attorneys on both sides of criminal law, who are devoted to fighting for what they believe is right.”
Q&A with Victoria Beharry
Could you give us a brief description of the organization you are interning with and what your primary responsibilities are during this internship?
As an intern for the [Florida] State Attorney’s office, I had a variety of responsibilities. One of which was collecting information for upcoming trials, such as summarizing case files, documenting incriminating information from jail calls, and documenting information from video and audio witness interviews. I also packaged and prepared evidence for a felony drug trial, by securing the evidence of the drug and paraphernalia onto a black cardboard to display it to a jury, along with proof that it wasn’t tampered with (such as leaving on the signatures of the FDLE analyst and police officer). I also shadowed various prosecutors in violent crimes, drug felonies, misdemeanor, and juvenile court. I observed various stages of the trial process, such as pre-trial, motions, violations of probation, jury selection, jury trials, and sentencing hearings. The attorneys would show me documents they used, and methods they used for questions and opening statements/closing arguments. As an intern, I was expected to take notes and ask questions of the attorneys whenever they’d approach me in order to cultivate a thorough understanding of the criminal trials. I also got a sense of the day-to-day life of a prosecutor, along with the thought processes behind certain decisions, such as when and how to file a case, and the strategy of jury selection. I also observed attorneys conducting depositions and took notes on the process. I was also introduced to judges, law enforcement officials, public defenders, and FDLE lab analysts.
What area(s) of justice does this organization work in and how did your internship help promote/fulfill these justice goals?
The Florida State Attorney’s Office works in the area of criminal justice, by promoting victim empowerment from crimes along with holding criminals accountable for breaking the law. My internship helped to fulfill these goals of justice by collaborating with the professionals who work in this field. Through my internship, I was able to save attorneys valuable time by completing some of their more mundane but necessary tasks such as jail call monitoring, along with garnering a greater understanding of the justice prosecutors fight for. I was able to help win a felony drug case via my assistance in preparing case evidence, and I learned much about the field through my conversations with attorneys who prosecuted a variety of crimes. I also learned about the negotiations and peacemaking between prosecutors and defense that goes on behind the scenes, to come to an agreement and avoid the humiliation and reliving of trauma that court trials can bring about. I also learned about how juvenile court is more so designed to be rehabilitative than punitive, to avoid future re-entry of the criminal justice system.
Has your work this summer changed how you think about justice issues?
My work this summer has further complicated my relationship with justice. The dilemma of whether it is more just to hold criminals accountable and empower victims, or to set those accused of crimes free and promote rehabilitation and forgiveness instead of punishment, is one that I struggled with during my time at the SAO.
For instance, I remember watching a trial in which a man was convicted guilty of a drug crime. I will forever remember the sound of the handcuffs being secured around his wrists, and his desperate pleas as he was brought into a holding cell. I remember my excitement at having “won” the case faded as I wondered whether it was necessary. On the other hand, I remember watching a trial in which a man was convicted guilty of a violent crime. His friends and family had come out to support him, testifying to his good character. However, when the State Attorney I interned under displayed the bloody images of the victim in the case, whom the man had assaulted, the room fell silent and I felt myself grow disturbed by the nature of the crime. I remember the satisfaction I felt when the judge sentenced the man to jail, and the greater satisfaction I felt when I saw the victim’s tear-stained, relieved, and hopeful expression, who had been sitting in the back of the courtroom.
I feel this moral ambiguity is a necessary part of law, as neither side is completely right or wrong; in the end, it truly depends on the case, which is why trials are so necessary, to provide competitive interpretations of the law and allow an impartial jury to decide what is right.
I earned a greater respect for attorneys on both sides of criminal law, who are devoted to fighting for what they believe is right.
How did you find out about this internship, and what advice would you give to students hoping to apply for this funding opportunity in the future?
I found out about this internship through my supervisor at the Clay County Teen Court, an organization I volunteered with throughout my middle and high school years. I had been talking with her about how I was pursuing a career in law thanks to my volunteering, and she referred me to apply for the internship at the FL State Attorney’s Office. However, since it was unpaid, I applied to KIP as a member of the Kilachand Honors College, and expressed how the funding would relieve me of financial burdens as I undertook the 6-week internship. For students hoping to apply for KIP in the future, I recommend finding something you’re passionate about, and sticking with it. I recommend keeping in touch with teachers, supervisors, and more who are in your desired field, even if they were contacts from elementary, middle, or high school––never underestimate anyone, you never know who might be able to help you in your future aspirations. I also recommend keeping a close eye on the location of one’s internship opportunity; I was lucky enough to do an internship in a local area of Florida, near where I lived, rather than having to pay for housing in Boston and being far away from home.
How has the Kilachand coursework and/or the KIP summer mentoring sessions helped prepare you for the work you are doing during your internship?
The aspect of Kilachand that most prepared me for this internship was the small seminar-style structure of the first-year seminar and studio classes I took my first year. Having small discussion-based seminars helped me with networking, asking questions, and connecting with the attorneys and others working in the office I interned at, as I felt comfortable speaking up and listening to the advice of others. The Kilachand writing studios also prepared me for having the individual drive and pacing to finish my assignments. Similar to writing a research paper, many of my assignments at the SAO such as documenting information from video and audio witness interviews required patience and time management. Kilachand coursework thus equipped me to handle myself in a professional internship setting.
Furthermore, the KIP summer mentoring sessions helped me think through the significance of the tasks I completed, the legal processes I shadowed, and the internship opportunity as a whole. It also provided me with an understanding of how many necessary steps to change the world take time; as opposed to the fast-paced nature of university and the many world-famous accomplishments I’ve studied through my Political Science and English studies. Before one can publish a book, one must write a first draft. Reminding myself to stay humble and take things one step at a time thus helped me get a greater appreciation for my internship.
Learn more about the Kilachand Internship Program here.