Social networking juror kicked out of court
CRIMINALS ARE EXPECTED to face up to their actions in court, but trial by Facebook is not an option, apparently, as a British juror discovered after being booted out for running a poll on the social not-working site to determine the defendants’ guilt.
The female juror purportedly posted confidential details of the case – concerning child abduction and sexual assault – on her Facebook page, after which she told her friends "I don’t know which way to go, so I’m holding a poll."
Needless to say, jurors are not allowed to discuss details of a case with anyone, not even close family members, so posting a public poll – she forgot to configure privacy settings – which could be read by the world and its mother caused justifiable concern.
Officials at Burnley Crown Court in Lancashire were tipped off about the poll and dismissed her from jury duty, continuing the trial with only 11 jurors. But legal sources told the Sun newspaper that the woman was lucky not to be slammed with a contempt of court charge, or worse, being responsible for having the whole trial dismissed.
"She had been asking her mates what they thought... and some people came back with guilty verdicts", noted the source.
The defendants were eventually cleared of child abduction charges and two were also acquitted of having sex with a 14 year-old girl and serious sexual assault. µ
L'Inq
The Sun
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Anyone know the result of the poll?
Guilty as hell, if I'd have been voting on it! Hanging's too good for 'em, if you ask me!

What was the poll for though, I didn't bother reading that bit, innit?
Had they been found guilty, their lawyers would have been all over this Facebook thing to get the verdict dismissed and have a retrial.
I thought jurors were quite clearly told they should talk to no one about the details of the case until the case was closed.
Is that true ? Because if so, this one was certainly derelict in her duty, whatever the outcome.
Contempt of court indeed, it's more like contempt of justice.
Or, on a lighter note, you could say that some people just can't keep their yapper shut.