Jury Trials and the Media

Jury Trials and the Media
	THE AMERICAN JURY BULWARK OF DEMOCRACY		About the Project Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago Chicago Historical Society National Endowment for the Humanities
AN ONLINE RESOURCE GUIDE
Lessons and Activities Jury Trials for the Classroom Resources from the Chicago Historical Society Web Resources Print Resources Site Index HISTORY AND PURPOSE Origins of the American Jury Formation of the American Jury STRUCTURE Introduction to Trial by Jury Grand Jury Right of the Accused to Trial by Jury Jury Selection: Voir Dire Jury of One's Peers Jury Deliberation ISSUES Evidence Jury Nullification Jury Trials and the Media Jury Damage Awards Comparative Jury Systems FUTURE Jury in American Society Jury Reform Future of the American Jury		In the American legal system, criminal jury trials are held in open court. The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution states that "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial," and the First Amendment to the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…." Public trials were seen by the Founders as a critical safeguard for the accused against the abuses of government, and the press have understood their role as being the eyes and ears of the public. There is a tension, however, between these two principles - a tension that can lead to prejudicial pre-trial coverage of sensational trials. This section of "The American Jury" looks at the strengths and limitations of media coverage of jury trials. It features lessons devoted to the Sam Sheppard murder trials, which led to important precedents regarding press coverage and fair trials. It also includes information and resources on the importance of press coverage in guaranteeing the fairness of jury trials. It also includes resources for exploring the advantages and disadvantages of media coverage of jury trials.		LIST OF LESSONS An Impartial Jury: Legal Requirement or Idealistic Goal? Teacher Materials (MS Word document) Student Materials (MS Word document) Sam Sheppard Murder Trials: A Unit on the American Jury Overview, Objectives, Learning Standards, Instructions, and Assessment Lesson 1: Pre-Trial Investigation Photo: Sam and Marilyn Sheppard Lesson 2: State of Ohio v. Sam Sheppard (1954) Lesson 3: The Verdict & New Evidence Lesson 4: State of Ohio v. Sam Sheppard (1966) Sheppard Murder Case Timeline LINKS TO RELEVANT SITES Sheppard v. State of Ohio, 352 U.S. 910 (1956) [denial of petition for certiorari] Sheppard v. Maxwell, 384 U.S. 333 (1966) [Massive, pervasive, and prejudicial publicity attending petitioner's prosecution prevented him from receiving a fair trial consistent with the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment] "The Killer's Trail" Sam Sheppard
		PRINT RESOURCES Constitutional Rights Foundation. "Free Press v. Fair Trial: The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping Case," Bill of Rights in Action (Fall 1993, Vol. 10, No. 1). ______________________________. "Is a Fair Trial Possible in the Age of Mass Media?" Bill of Rights in Action (Winter 1994, Vol. 11, No. 1).
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