Jury tampering is attempting to influence jurors outside of evidence and arguments presented in court. Jurors can be charged if they participate and fail to report it. Courts use methods to reduce risk, and tampering can come from anyone. Jurors should report any tampering, and penalties vary.
Jury tampering is an offense characterized by attempting to influence members of a jury by means other than the evidence and arguments presented in court. Even jurors themselves can be charged if they participate in jury tampering and fail to report it. The result of jury tampering can be a false verdict or a mistrial, both costly to the legal system and delaying justice in the case at hand.
There are many ways people can try to influence jurors. These include bribes, threats and unauthorized communications. A not uncommon situation is when attorneys involved in a case have a conversation about the case in the presence of a juror, not realizing the juror is present. Juror tampering can come from attorneys, defendants, plaintiffs, and members of the public interested in the case. For example, if the family member of someone accused of murder enters notes in a court of law claiming that the defendant is innocent, that is jury tampering.
Courts use several methods to reduce the risk of juror tampering. Jurors are required to wear ID badges so people know not to talk the case around them. Also, jurors can be kidnapped during a trial if there are fears that it will be difficult to avoid the flu. Jurors are also discouraged from talking to each other about the case during the trial, and the bailiff is instructed to keep an eye on the jury and to detect any unusual activity involving the jurors.
If a juror is approached by someone who is attempting to tamper with a juror or has reason to believe that another juror was involved in the tampering, they should be reported. The reports are presented to the bailiff, who contacts the judge to discuss the matter. Jurors are also required to turn over any material sent to them in an attempt to sway opinion, such as memos, voicemails, and kickbacks.
Juror tampering is a considerable concern for the legal system. The goal of holding a trial is to provide people with a fair, honest, and comprehensive hearing with a jury deciding the case based on the information presented in court. If jurors are tampered with and this is not identified in time, this will have an influence on the verdict which could result in a mistrial. Penalties for jury tampering vary depending on the specifics of the crime.
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