Juror Jailed For Friending Defendant on Facebook

[Smartazz]

http://mashable.com/2012/02/17/juror-jailed-friending-facebook/

From the Article:
Word to the wise: If you’re a juror in a trial, don’t friend the defendant on Facebook, or worse, brag about being kicked off the jury committee for said friend request.

Jacob Jock, a 29-year-old man living in Sarasota, Florida, was sentenced to three days in jail on Thursday for criminal contempt of court by Circuit Judge Nancy Donnellan. The misdemeanor charge stemmed from a message he posted on his Facebook page after being dismissed from jury duty for sending a friend request to the defendant: “Score … I got dismissed!! apparently they frown upon sending a friend request to the defendant … haha.”

The incident began in December when Jock sent a friend request to Violetta Milerman, the defendant in an auto negligence case. The defendant informed her attorney about the request and Jock was removed from the jury. It wasn’t until Jock posted the message on his Facebook page that he was hauled into court.

Donnellan reprimanded Jock for his actions, reported the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, concluding a two-hour contempt-of-court hearing by saying, “I cannot think of a more insidious threat to the erosion of democracy than citizens who do not care.”

 

[cubby1223]

idiot deserves more jail time, and I hope a large fine is attached

just my opinion

 

[cybrsage]

Good, jail time is what he needed.

 

[Smartazz]

I agree. This kind of behavior cannot be tolerated. He may have gotten away with it if he didn't brag about it.

 

[cubby1223]

It is a tricky situation, though, if you were a part of the trial, would you want someone with that mentality judging your fate?

You don't want jackasses on the jury, yet you also don't want jackasses a free pass out of life.

 

[Smartazz]

Good point. We also need jury duty as it is an important part of a free society.

 

[Jaskalas]

Donnellan reprimanded Jock for his actions, reported the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, concluding a two-hour contempt-of-court hearing by saying, “I cannot think of a more insidious threat to the erosion of democracy than citizens who do not care.”

Throw his parents in jail for raising such a !@#$.

Then do that to everyone who doesn't vote.

 

[tommo123]

Throw his parents in jail for raising such a !@#$.

Then do that to everyone who doesn't vote.

yea, force people to vote. that's freedom for you

 

[Jaskalas]

yea, force people to vote. that's freedom for you

There is no democracy without people showing up at the polls.

 

[Nebor]

So... was she hot?

 

[tommo123]

There is no democracy without people showing up at the polls.

and vote for who? i have never voted since there's been no one at all i've felt worth voting for. no one i felt would make a difference. i can only vote for a politician and they are all con artists and liars

i'll vote when there's someone worth voting for.

p.s there is no democracy. others decide who you are able to vote for. look at the way the media have ignored ron paul. there's an illusion of democracy only. and illusion of freedom.

 

[Jeff7]

and vote for who? i have never voted since there's been no one at all i've felt worth voting for. no one i felt would make a difference. i can only vote for a politician and they are all con artists and liars

i'll vote when there's someone worth voting for.

p.s there is no democracy. others decide who you are able to vote for. look at the way the media have ignored ron paul. there's an illusion of democracy only. and illusion of freedom.

I've done write-ins lately. The crap running for office isn't worth voting for, but at least I'll count toward turn-out. If nothing else, it's at least a vote of no confidence.

 

[GoPackGo]

"dumbass"

 

[tommo123]

I've done write-ins lately. The crap running for office isn't worth voting for, but at least I'll count toward turn-out. If nothing else, it's at least a vote of no confidence.

now, if they counted spoiled ballots then it would be a different matter. e.g 60% of the people vote for "none of the above" and go from there. would take the steam out of politicians if they started off elections with the % of the people that felt no one was worth voting for

 

[GWestphal]

This has always bothered me. I would guarantee that the majority of jurors are not my peers. Why do we want uneducated people deciding cases? Why not have a group of experts determine the appropriate outcome? Experts may have some bias in either direction, but they will have breadth and depth of knowledge in the topic and also recognize where the defense or prosecution are trying to sling bullshit. I'd rather have people who care make a decision, rather than Cletus the slack-jawed yokel whom just wants to get back to watching Jersey Shore.

 

[JEDIYoda]

http://mashable.com/2012/02/17/juror-jailed-friending-facebook/

From the Article:
Word to the wise: If you’re a juror in a trial, don’t friend the defendant on Facebook, or worse, brag about being kicked off the jury committee for said friend request.

Jacob Jock, a 29-year-old man living in Sarasota, Florida, was sentenced to three days in jail on Thursday for criminal contempt of court by Circuit Judge Nancy Donnellan. The misdemeanor charge stemmed from a message he posted on his Facebook page after being dismissed from jury duty for sending a friend request to the defendant: “Score … I got dismissed!! apparently they frown upon sending a friend request to the defendant … haha.”

The incident began in December when Jock sent a friend request to Violetta Milerman, the defendant in an auto negligence case. The defendant informed her attorney about the request and Jock was removed from the jury. It wasn’t until Jock posted the message on his Facebook page that he was hauled into court.

Donnellan reprimanded Jock for his actions, reported the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, concluding a two-hour contempt-of-court hearing by saying, “I cannot think of a more insidious threat to the erosion of democracy than citizens who do not care.”

no original commentary....

 

[Mursilis]

There is no democracy without people showing up at the polls.

The fewer people showing up at the polls, the more my vote matters, so I'm fine with people not voting. In fact, I encourage it. The people who don't vote are usually (but not always) ignorant on the issues anyway, so it's better that they stay home. Idiotic voters have brought us enough problems already.

 

[blankslate]

Throw his parents in jail for raising such a !@#$.

Then do that to everyone who doesn't vote.

I can understand the motivation for removing yourself from the jury with a dick move. Hell even doing that can be argued to be doing a favor to the people involved in a trial. I doubt the Judge, prosecution team, defense team, or the plaintiff (if it isn't the people) and defendant would want someone who doesn't take the task seriously on the jury.

However, if the guy is stupid enough to post about it on face book instead of quietly savoring the enjoyment of putting one over on "the man" then the judge did everyone a favor buy throwing him in jail. He seems stupid enough to accidentally hurt himself or others.


As for the voting issue...
In Australia not voting gets you a small fine like a parking ticket... if you continue not to vote you get increasingly heavier fines...

It sounds interesting... however, I haven't really sat around for any length of time thinking of all of the positive and negative ramifications of that policy.

Sure some may just vote for Mickey Mouse... others finding that they have to vote may just decide to actually become more informed about the issues before they vote. Of course depending on the ratio of MickeyMousers to Self-Informers it could be a good or bad policy.


In reference to the above poster's signature.

PJ O'Rourke may have been an incisive writer in his time but now he acts like a know nothing has been...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQnSu0DG3Oo

For your enjoyment.... he can't even hold his own on Bill Maher. The person he argued with had facts (you may disagree with them or the context in which they were presented..) while PJ O'Rourkes opening salvo was some tired joke about bongo drums... pathetic.

 

[airdata]

contempt of court = you didn't break any law but the judge personally didn't like what you did.


I'm sure they called it something else in nazi germany.

 

[Texashiker]

But I thought it was ok to get out of jury duty by any means possible?

 

[blankslate]

and vote for who? i have never voted since there's been no one at all i've felt worth voting for. no one i felt would make a difference. i can only vote for a politician and they are all con artists and liars

i'll vote when there's someone worth voting for.

p.s there is no democracy. others decide who you are able to vote for. look at the way the media have ignored ron paul. there's an illusion of democracy only. and illusion of freedom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmtjhdC5cI8

The pictures are interesting... but the words are what really matters.

I still vote. Even if only for what I perceive as the lesser evil....

queue the "why vote for a lesser evil Cthulhu for prez." pic.

 

[Mursilis]

But I thought it was ok to get out of jury duty by any means possible?

I'd love to get jury duty - I think it would be an interesting experience (esp. as an attorney whose work never involves a trial court). Despite my many years being on the list of registered voters, I've never been called. People shouldn't shirk the responsibility.

 

[Mursilis]

In reference to the above poster's signature.

PJ O'Rourke may have been an incisive writer in his time but now he acts like a know nothing has been...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQnSu0DG3Oo

For your enjoyment.... he can't even hold his own on Bill Maher. The person he argued with had facts (you may disagree with them or the context in which they were presented..) while PJ O'Rourkes opening salvo was some tired joke about bongo drums... pathetic.

I really don't care - I rarely watch TV. I prefer to read, and O'Rourke's writing is funny as heck, and generally insightful.

 

[piasabird]

I disagree. I think by friending a defendent that may just be a way of keeping track of what the defendent is talking about on the Internet. It does not really mean the juror was necessarily a friend of the person on trial. However, talking about the trial would be different from going after evidence. All of this probably violates the instructions that judges give most jurors, and typically it would just lead to the juror being replaced or kicked of the jury. I dont think jail time is appropriate unless you can prove that the defendent or people working for the defense had contacted the Juror and was using this for jury tampering and then the Juror was influenced to vote a certain way.

 

[OutHouse]

I disagree. I think by friending a defendent that may just be a way of keeping track of what the defendent is talking about on the Internet. It does not really mean the juror was necessarily a friend of the person on trial. However, talking about the trial would be different from going after evidence. All of this probably violates the instructions that judges give most jurors, and typically it would just lead to the juror being replaced or kicked of the jury. I dont think jail time is appropriate unless you can prove that the defendent or people working for the defense had contacted the Juror and was using this for jury tampering and then the Juror was influenced to vote a certain way.

you fail