Renee Loth writes in The Boston Globe that the trials of Donald Trump should be televised as it will lead to greater acceptance by the public of the verdicts. I will not express any opinion on that assertion but instead recount what has happened in past trials involving cameras. In the Derrick Chauvin trials in MN there were no serious incidents of juror misconduct during the trial, though it was alleged that the faces of some jurors could be seen reflected off the plexiglass barriers in the courtroom. You will find in past posts here other serious incidents, including a cameraman who accidentally swung the camera exposing the faces of the jurors, the identities of which were to be secret. If you are of a particular vintage you will recall the media circus that was the OJ Simpson trial.
Will prospective jurors want to be on the jury to reap the perceived economic benefits of their notoriety?
Book deals. Appearances on the talk shows. Depending on the verdicts, being the hero or darling of the political groups supporting the verdicts, perhaps ignoring the need to go into hiding.
Here is a link to an excellent article by Prof Thaddeus Hoffmeister, author of several books and many articles on juries, with comments on the impact of social media:
