September 15, 2009
Internet and Cell Phones Raise New Jury Concerns
Back in the old days, judges warned jurors to stay away from newspapers and dictionaries and not to discuss their case around the family dinner table or with friends.
Those were the good ole days, judges and lawyers say. Sci-Tech reports.
The days before Google, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Wikipedia and MapQuest opened up the world for all to see, and before BlackBerries and iPhones became an ubiquitous part of everyday life.
In one case, a Florida judge learned nine out of 12 jurors in a federal drug case had been spending their spare time doing research on the Internet. The judge had to declare a mistrial after eight weeks of testimony.
In another, a witness in a federal trials repeatedly texted another witness in the case -- a law enforcement officer -- to tell him what he should say on the stand.
Examples have become so prevalent that Jan Kearney, the presiding judge of Pima County Superior Court, has called on other members of the bench to come up with steps they might take to prevent similar problems here.
Eventually, Kearney said, she'd like to form a committee of attorneys, judges and citizens to discuss the issues.
Read full article.
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