Use of Smartphone Not so Smart for This Juror

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://gizmodo.com/5640192/jurors-iphone-use-causes-mistrial-in-manslaughter-case?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+gizmodo/full+(Gizmodo)' target='_blank'>http://gizmodo.com/5640192/jurors-i.../full+(Gizmodo)</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"A jury foreman in a manslaughter murder case in Florida has caused a mistrial with his iPhone. How? He looked up the word "prudence" during deliberations. On Encarta."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1284690156.usr105634.jpg" style="margin-left: 175px; margin-right: 175px;" /></em></p><p>According to the Court of Appeals, a<em>fter the appellant was convicted, a juror contacted defense counsel and claimed that during a break from jury deliberations, the jury foreperson used a smartphone, specifically an iPhone, to look up the definition of "prudence." The court granted a motion to interview jurors and determined, after an evidentiary hearing, that there was juror misconduct based on the fact that the jury foreperson utilized his smartphone to search an internet site, Encarta, for the definition of "prudent" or "prudence." The foreperson shared this definition with other jurors during deliberations. </em></p><p><em></em>So now a new trial in the shooting of the dog will be necessary. No word yet on a trial for the usage of Encarta on an iPhone.&nbsp;</p>

[Jon Childs]

Wouldn't want those jurors to know what they were doing before they sent a man away for murder. Although if you shoot a man because his dog pooped on your lawn I can't imagine his chances are much better with a new trial. More billable hours for the laywers though.

[Jason Dunn]

I understand the need to not pollute the case with speculation and rumour, but something seems rather wrong about this instance. If someone needs to understand a word to comprehend the case and their decision in it, there should be a mechanism for this... :confused:

[Jeff Campbell]

I agree, it would be one thing if he was looking up news stories on the case, etc, and in the jury room, but this guy looked up a word on a reference site, outside of the courtroom and jury room....seems no different than getting a dictionary, but I suppose they felt that if he looked that up he must be tainted because he "must have" looked up details on the case.....weird