Impartial Trials
Read the article titled “Trial by Media: The Betrayal of the First Amendment’s Purpose”
Phillipson, G. (2008). TRIAL BY MEDIA: THE BETRAYAL OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT’S PURPOSE. Law & Contemporary Problems, 71(4), 15-29.
After reading the article, in a 1-2 page paper address the following:
- When the media broadcasts a live criminal trial, how does it affect a defendant’s Sixth amendment right to an impartial jury?
- When a jury of our peers is selected from the jurisdiction of the case, does the media information given to jurors help determine the outcome of the case? Why or Why not?
- Identify how this media information affects the jury members?
- List a minimum of three issues related to the general public knowing about the case details, suspects, witnesses etc., and prior to trial. Can they remain unbiased? Why or why not?