Facebook Lands Juror In Trouble
Hadley Jons, a 20 year old from Michigan, was removed from a jury when she declared the defendant guilty on Facebook, while the case was still going. She posted on Facebook that it was "gonna be fun to tell the defendant they're GUILTY." Now, the judge in the case has ordered her to pay a $250 fine and write an essay about the constitutional right to a fair trial.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened. It was recently reported in another case that a juror couldn't decide whether to find the defendant guilty or not guilty, so that juror created a poll on Facebook, inviting people to vote on the defendant's fate.
"The use of social media, like Facebook or Twitter, is changing the lives of almost everyone, whether they know it or not" says Diane Smith of Burg Simpson. "Jurors are routinely told not to discuss a trial outside of the jury room. For some reason, people don't understand that Facebook can be as much a public discussion as a conversation over coffee."
If you have a legal issue concerning Facebook or any other form of social media, Burg Simpson may be able to help. Call 1.888.895.2080 for a free consultation.
