The trial of Steven J. Hayes, who was recently convicted of murdering a Cheshire, Connecticut mother and her two children, has had the state riveted for months. Even Democratic and Republican candidates were compelled to discuss the case on the campaign trail. The media may have played a central role in keeping everyone tuned in to the case, as reporters frequently took to Twitter to describe courtroom goings-on. Hayes (who will likely be handed the death penalty) and his lawyers are now citing Twitter use as one of the primary forces behind their appeal. As occurred in the famous 1966 case involving Dr. Sam Sheppard, Hayes's lawyers claim the media created a circus-like atmosphere that whipped the public into a frenzy, and ultimately influenced the decisions of the jury.Some contend that Twitter and other social media pose a unique challenge to the judicial system, one that requires new rules regarding our collective behavior around trials. The defense complains that Twitter updates are inherently more inflammatory than other kinds of reportage -- an argument that may carry weight; Judge Jon C. Blue declined to have the jury sequestered during the weekend's deliberations, thus exposing them to outside influence as they decided on a verdict. Hayes's lawyers are portraying the case as "the Sheppard v. Maxwell of the 21st century," a case in which the media hysteria was found to have denied Sheppard due process and in which the judge failed to sequester the jury. Journalists, on the other hand, contend the Twitter panic is being driven by Luddite attitudes and will ultimately lead to bad court policy.
Murder Trial Appeal Questions Impact of Twitter originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Source: http://www.switched.com/2010/12/03/murder-trial-steven-j-hayes-twitter-impact/
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