Charged with a Serious Crime? You Need a Public Relations Crisis Management Expert

Los Angeles, CA— We’ve seen time and again how a media-created narrative can have a decisive impact on a jury’s verdict. If the media sows doubt, you have a chance. If they condemn you, you’re likely finished.

But wait! Jurors are instructed to avoid media coverage, right? In reality, judicial admonishments are often ignored, and jurors regularly turn to Google to dig up information. The percentage of jurors violating these rules is alarmingly close to 100%.

Some defense attorneys seek media attention not necessarily to help their clients but to elevate their own careers. Take the Scott Peterson case, for example. What could have been a routine murder trial in Modesto, California, turned into an international sensation, largely because Peterson’s defense lawyer courted publicity.

Scott Peterson wasn’t convicted by the evidence alone but by the loud commentary of media personalities like Nancy Grace. Grace capitalized on Peterson’s deceptive behavior and infidelity to paint him as a villain, influencing the jury’s perception. Even now, no medical expert can definitively state how Laci Peterson died. There’s no certainty that she wasn’t a victim of something other than murder.

Recently, we’ve witnessed a shift in the narrative surrounding the Menendez Brothers, influenced by a couple of documentaries and a new wave of media coverage.

The case of Ohio osteopath Sam Sheppard was one of the first where media manipulation played a significant role. Sheppard was crucified in the press, swaying the public and jury to see him as a murderer despite shaky evidence. Years later, a German woman who became romantically involved with Sheppard mounted a media campaign proclaiming his innocence, attracting the help of famed attorney F. Lee Bailey. The resulting shift in media narrative ultimately helped secure Sheppard’s freedom.

These examples show the incredible power the media holds in shaping public opinion and controlling the thoughts of their audience. Many of us like to believe we’re immune to this kind of influence, but that’s far from true. The media doesn’t always tell the truth, and when they don’t, we are at risk of being manipulated.

That’s why totalitarian regimes, whether communist or fascist, always prioritize seizing control of the media. It’s the first step in their systematic brainwashing of the population.

Our legal system needs to recognize its responsibility to shield the accused from the media’s overwhelming influence. Juries should be sequestered more often, and change of venue requests should be granted more liberally. While these measures are expensive, they are less costly than the price we pay for wrongful convictions.

At 1:30 PM Pacific Time today, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón is expected to announce his intention to release the Menendez Brothers. Facing a tough reelection fight, this appears to be his final Hail Mary to satisfy both the public and the media. Time will tell if I’m right.

Rebecca Grossman Jury Misconduct is Unraveling

Van Nuys, CA—In every trial jurors are strongly admonished by the Judge to avoid press reports either broadcast, print or Internet.  I learned a long time ago that nearly 100% of the jurors ignore that admonishment doing what they damn well please.  With the Internet it’s so much easier for them to stray.  

It’s not normally a crime per se, but you can be held in contempt for any violation of that kind.  Contempt of court is usually not a big deal, but anyone covering it up or lying about it under oath is looking at a likely felony prison term.  

Investigating that activity was formerly very difficult but because of changes it is not. Such investigations are now doable, but time-consuming.  ISP data shows what websites and the length of the visits.  For any Grossman jurors caught in the dragnet it’s going to be a very nasty.  

I suggest that every Juror on the Grossman case contact the court and come clean while on this while they still can.  The ISP identification numbers on their smartphones and home devices have given them away.  

Jurors can look forward to subpoenas and examination by the court.  By then the penalties will be much more punitive.  It goes back to that old saying, the coverup is always much greater than the original crime.  Again, come clean while you still can.  It will be a lot cheaper than hiring lawyers.  

Yes! We can get a new trial for Jason Van Dyke because of blatant jury misconduct!

Expect More Surprises in The Jodi Arias Case

Phoenix, AZ—The second attempt to get a verdict in the penalty phase of the Jodi Arias murder trial is about be get underway before Judge Sherry Stephens. Will it be death, life without parole or a 25 calendar year sentence?   Arias would get full credit for her years in pretrial custody. 

Arias is understandably and desperately seeking some control over her defense and public relations matters.  The problem is that she’s woefully unqualified to make any of those decisions.

The lawyers assigned to defend Arias are not exactly heavy hitters.  They are lightweights with limited skills and resources.  

Arias has been widely criticized for her missteps at every turn.  This young woman is fighting for her life while dealing with complicated issues few of us will ever have to face. For her there are no right answers.  Whatever she does turns out wrong. 

The only thing I know about Arias for sure is she has given substantially different versions of whatever happened in that Mesa, AZ home. I’ve learned long ago that people that use legitimate and lawful deadly force in self-defense far too often lie to authorities because they think it’s somehow necessary.  

The simple truth is if Arias had invoked her right to remain silent and simply refused to answer police questions she would have probably never been arrested.  In any event she’d be a free woman today.  

People that have never walked in this Arias’ shoes are the first to castigate her.  

Judge Stephens wisely booted the Media’s cameras out of the courtroom for the second penalty phase.  The actual murder trial that ended in conviction was as ugly as any court/media circus in American history. Perhaps this time the jury can do their jobs with less outside influence.

Protecting un-sequestered jurors from published material and videos is absolutely impossible in this day and age.  Judges have to take special precautions to prevent the court’s evidence from being co-mingled with Internet gossip.

Frankly the courts have been incredibly negligent beyond giving jurors redundant but meaningless admonishments to avoid such material. 

Under the media's radar, this case has had lawyers arguing and litigating under court seal since this sensational trial ended.  In my decades of courtroom and criminal justice experience I’ve seen nothing like this. 

My trusted Phoenix court sources have told me the protracted secret fight is over a “new” witness and evidence that was not considered at the first trial. This has nothing to do with the penalty phase but in fact what may actually lead to a new trial that may yet clear Arias.

This case has drawn an astronomical number of vocal trolls that have consistently spread anti-Arias hate and venom.  These trolls all claim to have watched the whole trial and know everything.

What these trolls are clueless about are the hours of the trial that they have never seen!  That was the numerous fights over evidence and admissibility in Judge Stephens’ chambers where the press, their cameras and public was excluded.

I hear the trolls say, "But she stabbed him so many times!"  What people don't realize is that few of these wounds were mortal.  The human body is so amazing that it will continue to fight to survive.  

A somewhat frail woman realistically would have to stab a stronger male numerous tines before he would begin to weaken or expire. Superficial wounds inflicted by a weaker female would do little but invite more aggression from a stronger male. 

The Arias case is sure to take many more surprising turns before it is over. 

I’m convinced that ultimately there may be enough prosecutorial and judicial misconduct in the Arias case to reverse any conviction and prevent a retrial.  I would not count out the real possibility that Arias may be freed before the litigation is over.

Trial Jury Internet Misconduct is Widespread and Pervasive in America!

Los Angeles, CA—When an American jury is empaneled they are admonished to avoid all print, broadcast or Internet related materials involving the case they are deciding.  Do they follow the rules when the juicy gossip is only a few mouse clicks away?  The answer is NO! 

Before I indict all jurors let me suggest that a small percentage do obey the instructions.  Perhaps it is only because they are not computer literate.  The rest are a bunch of undisciplined folks that do what they damn well please.

It is apparent that our jurors allow themselves to become influenced by illicit outside information. 

My blog gave me a real window into a jury in action on a Hollywood Attempted Murder case that began in December of 2005.   Alexander Terminassian shot and wounded an assailant, Marco C. Fuentes.  I remain convinced that the charges should have never been filed!  It was a clear act of self-defense.

I was outraged by the excessive bail and felony charges for Terminassian, a cab driver.  I doubted that he get a fair trial because of the gun rights debate and the extreme La La Land prejudice against guns and lawful self-defense. 

I was convinced that jurors would never learn about the criminal record or illegal alien status of Terminassian’s attacker in the courtroom.  I conducted my own background investigation on the state’s star witness and so-called victim.   I posted the results verbatim on my blog direct from L.A. County court records.

The theory is that the jury would never see that material but I was convinced at least a few may Google the names involved and learn the truth.

I have a web counter on my blog that tells me the Internet service provider’s number and domain.  It shows how they found my articles along with the search terms. It also give approximate locations of the visitors along with the amount of time they spend. 

I use my web counter to see what my visitors are interested in and look to exploit the information to increase my blog traffic.

The Terminassian story was popular in the L.A. region and among gun rights groups.  But after a few months of the incident there were very few visits to that story.

Fastfoward to 12 months later in 2006 and I noticed a small cluster of hits on the Terminassian stories from the L.A. area.  Why the sudden interest I wondered?  Something was going on!  Perhaps a news article provoked the attention?  Googling the unusual name Terminassian only generated my stories.  I kept digging.

There were exactly 14 hits and I saved a screen shot capturing the ISP numbers.  I investigated the reason for the hits and discovered that Terminassian’s trial had begun and they just picked a jury of 12 with two alternates!  Could the newly empaneled jury be breaking the rules by doing Google searches?  

For the next couple of weeks the same blog visitors returned again and again!  Somewhere between three and 10 hits from the same ISP numbers.  Suddenly I got a comment from a man that claimed to be a juror on that case.  I checked his ISP and discovered he had been on my blog continually from the first day the jury was picked. 

I asked that he contact me and he did by e-mail and phone.  He told me he was the foreman of the jury and that he was surprised to learn about Fuentes’ background on my blog.  He pretended to not have seen it until after the case was over.   I played along with his game and did not snitch, until now.  Of course the Statute of Limitations now prevents any punitive action against him over his transgressions.

After the trial the traffic stopped on my Terminassian stories. 

What I’m suggesting is that the Internet has proven to be a real game changer in American Justice.  Today juries must be sequestered if they are to be shielded from outside influence. Because of search engines like Google insignificant web sites can influence juries and their verdicts even more than traditional media outlets. 

Judges are going to hate dealing with this issue and sequestering every jury would shut the entire system down in gridlock.  The cost of transportation, meals and hotels would be staggering to taxpayers.  What is the solution?

Below is a link to the stories and be sure to read the comments.

http://www.crimefilenews.com/search?q=Terminassian

This story repeats on that link to be ignored...