How to Report Jury Tampering
Jury tampering occurs when parties involved in a case try to threaten, bribe or otherwise influence members of the jury. The motive for such behavior is either to get the juror to arrive at a verdict in the perpetrator's favor or to cause a mistrial. This is a crime and guilty parties may be fined or face imprisonment of up to 20 years, depending on the seriousness of the attempt at jury tampering.
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Instructions
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Report Attempts at Tampering
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Make a report to the judge if you have overhead conversations about the case from attorneys involved in the trial. This may happen accidentally, if the attorneys do not receognize a juror, or could happen deliberately in a blatant attempt to cause a mistrial.
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2
Report any type of contact made with you by anyone related to the case or anyone related to parties in the case. You can send a message to the judge through the bailiff.
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3
Send anything you may receive from parties involved in the case to the judge. This could include notes, letters or even evidence that has not been admitted into the case.
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4
Inform the judge immediately if there is evidence of tampering in regards to other members of the jury. This may include discovery that a juror has accepted anything of value from parties involved in the trial in return for rendering a particular verdict.
Avoid the Possibility of Undue Influence
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Wear articles of identification. Jurors may be given badges to wear which will identify them to members of the case. This will help lawyers involved in the case be more discreet when a juror is near by in order to avoid the possibility of a mistrial.
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Avoid areas where parties involved in the case gather. Also avoid people who may be related to members of the trial.
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Do not discuss aspects of the case with fellow jurors before it is time for deliberations. This is to ensure that the conclusions you arrive at about the case are truly yours and have not been influenced by the opinions of others.
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Avoid reports in the media about the case. If the case is of particular interest, there will be reports about it on television, in newspapers and on the Internet. Juries for trials which receive notorious attention will most likely be sequestered.
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Tips & Warnings
A juror who does not report jury tampering and consents to it is also guilty of the offense and subject to a fine or imprisonment.
