and wouldn’t you know it? They don’t like it. Not for jurors, anyway.
In a January 28 memo, the Conference recommended the following addition to its model jury instructions:
You may not communicate with anyone about the case on your cellphone, through e-mail, Blackberry, iPhone, text messaging, or on Twitter, through any blog or website, through any internet chat room, or by way of any other social networking websites, including Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Judge Julie Robinson explained that “more explicit mention in jury instructions of the various methods and modes of electronic communication and research would help jurors better understand and adhere to the scope of the prohibition against the use of these devices.”
The pattern jury admonishment for Ohio does not yet include a phone-, electronic-, or social-media-specific instruction, and reads as follows:
The court reminds you not to discuss the case. You are reminded, also, not to obtain or receive information concerning this case from outside the courtroom. You must not read, listen to, or watch any source of information relating to the case. You must report to the bailiff or the court any attempt by anyone to discuss the case with you or in your presence. Any violation of this order could result in serious penalties under the law.
We have previously covered courts and Twitter or other social media several times:
- SCOTUS blocks YouTube coverage of Prop 8 trial (and part II)
- More fun with Twitter
- Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Interpreted as Barring Twitter Coverage of Trial from Inside Courtroom
- Australia allows media coverage of cases by Twitter
- Could an American court order service of an injunction by Twitter?
This post was written by Jeffrey M. Nye.
