Juries
Tweeting Jurors to Face Jail Time With New California Law
Starting in 2012, California jurors who tweet during trial or deliberations can be sentenced to jail time, under a new law Gov. Jerry Brown signed Friday.
The new legislation states that trial judges must inform jurors that the prohibition of communication or research about a case includes all forms of electronic or wireless communication or research. It was by prompted by numerous reports about jurors using cell phones and other devices to research cases or contacts, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Violators could face up to six months in jail.
A similar bill was vetoed last year by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, because he believed the current warnings to jurors were adequate.
