Juries

Juror Counseling in North Carolina

As discussed in the article below, North Carolina (a few other states have made similar efforts) recently announced a program to assist jurors who suffer from undue stress from their jury service. While it is great that North Carolina has recognized that jury duty can, at times, be stressful, the mental health services offered are fairly limited. Since this is just a pilot program, I am hoping that in the future, jurors receive more in the way of mental health services.

News & Observer: NC jurors get way to help cope

Jurors in trials where judges determine that the evidence might cause mental distress will be given a toll-free number to contact a licensed mental-health professional for what Smith called "one confidential telephonic triage or face-to-face assessment." During the assessment, the jurors' needs will be identified and appropriate resources recommended. If additional counseling is needed beyond the initial visit, jurors will be referred to either a provider in their health plan or to an affordable community resource.

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Counseling for Jurors

The article below highlights the importance of counseling for jurors.  As regular readers of this blog know, several states have or are contemplating legislation to provide counseling to jurors that hear either traumatic or emotionally disturbing evidence.  The article below makes a push for Florida to follow the lead of states like Texas and provide jury counseling.  Some jurors have actually reported suffering from PTSD after sitting through rather gruesome testimony. 

Counsel for the Jurors

After 12 jurors found Michael King guilty of abducting, raping and murdering Denise Amber Lee, the judge thanked them for their service and politely dismissed them.

They deserved more.

After spending two intense weeks viewing the gruesome evidence against King and hearing the chilling recordings of Lee's pleas for help, the jurors deserved an offer by the state to provide counseling for dealing with the lingering impacts of such an emotional experience

 

New Jury Legislation in Texas

The Court-A-Rama blog has an interesting post on two new bills pertaining to state jury legislation.  Texas, following a growing national trend, is on its way to offering juror counseling to those who sit through very graphic or violent trials.  Apparently, jurors have reported actually suffering PTSD from serving on jury duty.

Do Jurors Need More Protection?

After reading the article below one might believe that jurors in Baltimore do.  Unfortunately for the residents of Baltimore, this is just the latest example of the problems plaguing the local jury process.  What is most troubling about this episode is that a defendant (assuming the allegations are true) through his own misconduct can take steps to create issues to appeal.

Courtroom Threat Shakes Jury, Witness

By threatening a witness on the stand in the middle of his murder trial, Lance Walker rattled the very people now deciding his guilt or innocence.

On the 10th day of the 17-day trial, as the lawyers huddled at the bench with their backs turned, the jury watched the 29-year-old defendant lock eyes with the witness, hold up a legal document with one hand, pump a thumbs-down gesture with the other and warn, "I know your name. You're going down. You're going down."

Fear instantly gripped the face of the witness, who muttered in disbelief, and within earshot of jurors, "Did he just threaten me?"

Later, during a lunch break in the jury room, the forewoman sensed apprehension. She took a brief poll of the all-female panel and then passed a note to Baltimore Circuit Judge John Carroll Byrnes. The jurors were afraid, too, the forewoman wrote. What was being done to ensure their safety (to continue reading go here)?