I Object: Jurors Tweeting During Trials Jeopardize Justice
From the Christian Science Monitor
During the trial of an Arkansas lumber supplier In February, one of the jurors tweeted his buddies that they should stay away from that product: “It’s bad mojo,” he thumbed, “and they’ll probably cease to exist, now that their wallet is 12m lighter.”
During a four-month-long political corruption trial in Philadelphia earlier this year, one juror was found to have been updating his Twitter account almost daily, at one point posting: “Stay in touch for a big announcement on Monday everyone.”
Wanda Keyes Heard, a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge, now warns jurors: “At no time are you permitted to talk to the witnesses, lawyers or parties, go to the scene or use Google, Facebook or Twitter concerning the case.”
“With Twitter and instant messaging, being first, getting something out immediately is a thrill for them,” Cynthia Cohen, president of the American Society of Trial Consultants, told the Huntsville, Ala., Times. “They get caught up in the excitement instead of following the rules and laws of the legal system. It’s definitely a problem.”
The impact of tweeting jurors continues to be explored in the legal world.
In the case of the Philadelphia corruption trial, the judge denied a mistrial motion based on the thumb-nimble juror, deeming that the juror’s actions didn’t affect the outcome of the trial. An appeal of the Arkansas lumber contractor’s case is pending. The contractor says the tweeting juror undermined the integrity of the trial.
“The task of keeping the modern juror focused on the witnesses and exhibits admitted into evidence – and insulated from the onslaught of potentially prejudicial communications – will be an ongoing challenge for the judiciary and the bar,” writes Mr. Sweeney.
For more on the psychology of Twitter, please click here…
