Jury Experiences
05-22-2007, 04:22 PM
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Catherine Mambretti
01-25-2009, 08:34 PM
In my blog (http://blog.thejurorinvestigates.com) I've written a bit about the problems with voir dire from the juror's perspective. I had no idea what I was getting into--the potential for perjury, for loss of privacy, for risk of recriminations from defendants and their associates. The judge in one case offered to hear responses in camera but only to questions concerning prior jury experiences. I think there needs to be a jury bill of rights, and one of them should be the right to privacy during voir dire. Attorneys can do background checks, so defense attorneys can be assured that jurors aren't biased against the defendant. But voir dire should not be conducted in public, and jurors should be entitled to withhold their last names and residence from the defendant.