“Remember, Nice A** = Innocent!”
The above quotation is just one of many appalling posts circulating the internet about jurors’ civic duty. While a comment from a juror’s Facebook friend may seem “innocent,” More from the #Jury Box- The Latest on Juries and Social Media has some much more troubling statements to offer from the jurors themselves.
“Woooow I wasn’t expecting to be in a jury deciding a pedophile’s fate. I’ve always wanted to fuck up a pedophile and now I’m within the law!”
“I guess all I need to know is GUILTY. lol.”
The recent article out of the Duke Law & Technology Review summarizes the findings of a survey of hundreds of jurors on their social media use during trial.
Beyond the jaw-dropping juror posts, the article also provides best practices for ensuring jury impartiality. The main conclusion: use a jury instruction, use it early, and use it often.
For more detailed suggestions, check out the article here.
Robot Lawyer 