Zimmerman: Can the Jury Hear the Protesters?

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Sat Jul 13, 2013 at 08:47:19 PM EST
Tags: George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin (all tags)

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I've been avoiding stories about the protests, I really don't care about them. But with the TV on just now, they flashed on the protesters and they were really loud. Are they right outside the courthouse? Can the jury hear them?

I would make a motion to stop the deliberations and either move the jury deliberations or have the protestors move to where the jurors can't see and here them. It's rank intimidation.

Also, of course the crowds are more anti-Zimmerman. Guilt-mongerers are not known for their intelligence or emotional stability.

Where is law enforcement? How are they letting this go on while the jury is inside deliberating? I would think an appeals court could throw out a verdict for this alone. [More...]

And no, I don't think the First Amendment right to association trumps a defendant's right to a fair trial.

Either the verdict is in, and the court and law enforcement are making security plans before announcing it so the protesters don't matter, or this is inexcusable.

Update: The verdict was in. Good thing.

< Zimmerman: Is There a Verdict? | George Zimmerman: NOT GUILTY >

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Zimmerman: Can the Jury Hear the Protesters? | 7 comments (7 topical)

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Take a bow Jeralyn, you deserve it. (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by AghastinFL on Sat Jul 13, 2013 at 09:16:51 PM EST

THanks for everything you made available all along Jeralyn, I think your blog truly made a difference.
The verdict Not Guilty is the correct verdict.

Wondered abouit this, as well (none / 0) (#1)
by Towanda on Sat Jul 13, 2013 at 08:51:10 PM EST

and flashed back to historical accounts and photos of similar situations -- the Snopes trial, for example, often described as the first mass-media trial, which ignores huge crowds in person there -- that are said to have influenced the events.

How close are they to the courthouse? CNN has described the crowds as in a courtyard and a parking lot at the courthouse, so darn close.

But we have a verdict. So there will be a new thread. . . .

Verdict is in (none / 0) (#2)
by CoralGables on Sat Jul 13, 2013 at 08:51:57 PM EST

Well done, TL (none / 0) (#4)
by scribe on Sat Jul 13, 2013 at 09:35:39 PM EST

Just hope Judge Lynch doesn't show up in that crowd, and that the police get him through it to go home.

Though with the way this county has covered itself in ... glory with this trial, I wouldn't be surprised if the judge, prosecutor and cops just throw him to the wolves outside.

CNN reporter said they could not hear it (none / 0) (#6)
by ruffian on Sat Jul 13, 2013 at 10:28:07 PM EST

inside the courthouse

First Amendment (none / 0) (#7)
by citizenjeff on Sat Jul 13, 2013 at 11:19:21 PM EST

It's not that the First Amendment trumps a defendant's right to a fair trial. It's that if the jurors could hear the protesters, that problem could be rectified without infringing on anyone's First Amendment rights. So I don't think there was any need to worry about the First Amendment.

Jeralyn, your concern was valid, but it seemed you felt it was likely the jurors could hear the protesters. Not sure why you felt that way (if you did).

It's just a small quibble. You and your blog are fabulous!

: as I said, it seemed (none / 0) (#8)
by Jeralyn on Sun Jul 14, 2013 at 03:22:13 AM EST

extremely loud to me when the news depicted it. I also considered that the jurors might be able to see the crowd growing in size through windows.
Anyway, I'm glad it wasn't the case here, but it's something to think about for the next trial.