0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Attorneys in Conrad Murray trial using Facebook, Twitter to screen jurors Prosecutors and defense attorneys for Conrad Murray, the Houston doctor accused of giving Michael Jackson a lethal dose of a powerful anesthetic, have turned to social media to screen potential jurors.They are screening more than 145 potential jurors by checking public posts on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and website comments in search of insight into the men and women that will decide Murray’s innocence or guilt."Social media is a big part of our lives, for all of us, so it’s not surprising that it’s also a big part of jury trials now," said Karen Hurwitz, a veteran legal consultant who helped defense attorneys screen jurors in the Casey Anthony trial.Social media checks are becoming commonplace in courtrooms across the country. Hurwitz said she and others involved in the Anthony trial spent weeks researching potential jurors."Some people really object to it," she said. "They feel like they’re being investigated. On the Internet, the reality is much of this information is public."Potential jurors in Conrad Murray’s trial were asked to fill out a 30-page, 113-question survey."When it comes to the legal system, anything that [is] online, either it’s supposed to be there, maybe it’s not supposed to be there. If these lawyers can get a leg up, they’re actually going to use it," said Michael Garfield, a technology expert and Houston radio personality. Opening arguments in Murray’s trial are expected to start on Tuesday, September 27.The trial is expected to last about a month.You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login