Juror Perceptions in the “Law & Order”
Draft Do Not Cite Ripped From The Headlines: Juror Perceptions in The “Law & Order” Era Forthcoming Law & Psychology Review Mr. McCoy, I'm not going to sanction a verdict that cannot possibly be sustained on appeal. This conviction isn't based on any proven facts. It's based on the jury's outrage at Mr. Webber's irresponsible and inexcusable conduct…. In the meantime, no matter how profound our grief, our indignation, I can't let you use this court to raise a lynch mob. I won't allow you to exploit the same base actions that Mr. Webber counts on to beef up his bottom line. It's not about being right, Mr. McCoy. It's about doing right. - Judge Wright, Season 10, Episode 1 “Gunshow” I. Introduction Jerry Bruckheimer’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has drawn significant attention from academics, lawyers, and the popular press concerned about the impact the television show’s portrayal of forensic science and crime scene investigation has on real-life jurors.1 Many have claimed that the show’s highly dramatized, romanticized, and generally unrealistic portrayal of forensic science and the investigative process has significantly altered juror expectations and poses a challenge for lawyers trying criminal cases.2 The nature of this portrayal’s impact and even the existence of the “CSI effect,” a term first coined in 2002, has been a hotbed of controversy.3 The concept has been discussed in nearly 400 news articles and more than 100 1 Simon A. Cole, Investigating the ‘CSI Effect’ Effect: Media and Litigation Crisis in Criminal Law, 61 STAN.
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