Articles Posted in Members (Jury) Issues

Barbara Rich Bushell, Identifying Leaders, 21(5) The Jury Expert, Sept. 2009. When I initially read this piece I did not see any relevance to a military Members panel (the jury). The military “foreperson” is preselected, and will be automatically selected after challenges – it’s the senior Member by rank and date of rank. However, after…

Here is a CNN piece on United States v. Smith. Dog handler appeals conviction in Abu Ghraib case. He’s already served the time, but lawyers Thursday argued to clear his name as onetime U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Smith appeals a conviction for the torture of detainees once held at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.…

NMCCA has an unpublished opinion on line in United States v. Thomas. The case is interesting partly because it is an recitation of some facts vice news reported “facts.” I find footnote 3 to the decision of some interest: The Second Circuit has found that removal of any person who has previously served on a…

Professor Colin Miller has a comment today on his blog about United States v. Matthews, 68 M.J. 29 (C.A.A.F 2009) He illustrates that Mil. R. Evid. 606 mirrors the federal rule but has the additional exception for “command influence” in the Members deliberation room. Chain Of Command: Military Case Reveals Interesting Exception To Military Rule…

Lawyer seeks to prevent opponent from wearing worn shoes: The economy may be in the dumps, but lawyers shouldn’t skimp on their pumps, according to this story in the Palm Beach Post. (H/T The Maryland Injury Lawyer Blog). Florida defense lawyer Michael Robb found himself the target of a motion asking the court to prevent…

Jury instructions to include rules on use of new media Recent incidents of jurors using new media during cases in civilian courtrooms in the States have led a military judge to rework instructions given to panelists in military courts-martial. Army Col. Ted Dixon, a military judge who edits the military judges’ benchbook, said he’s not…

Not the lawyers — the jurors. I’ve posted several articles, and the web is rife with articles, posts, and case decisions about how jurors are using technology in the jury room: twittering, contacting the media, and now this interesting piece by Prof Colin Miller. An Analog Rule in a Digital World?: Court of Appeals of…

There has been something of a stir recently about jurors texting and twittering while court is in session. Here another interesting tale of the kind of shenanigans civilian jurors get up to. We first consider Basham’s argument that the district court should have granted his motion for a new trial after learning that the jury…

The Supreme Court has decided Rivera v. Illinois. Justice Ginsburg wrote for a unanimous court. This case concerns the consequences of a state trial court’s erroneous denial of a defendant’s peremptory challenge to the seating of a juror in a criminal case. If all seated jurors are qualified and unbiased, does the Due Process Clause…

A change to Fed. R. Crim. Pro. recently adopted reminds me of a motion I file from time to time after the member’s have found my client guilty, or at the time the military judge asks if there is anything else before adjourning the court — that’s a Griffith motion. But first here is the…