Trump jurors' fears usually only seen in 'violent organized crime cases': law professor
April 18, 2024
Alabama Law School professor Joyce White Vance referred to Donald Trump's jury intimidation as outright mafia-like.
Wednesday night, Trump began posting online about jurors — just hours before one told the judge she was concerned her identity had been compromised by information published about her and was dismissed.
The information that was publicly reported prompted her family members to reach out and ask if she was on the jury, she said. Having her identity compromised could endanger her life, given the examples in the past from MAGA threats, MSNBC's Lisa Rubin said.
"I can't help but contemplate that jurors are concerned about being publicly identified in a case involving a former president. Typically, you would only see that happen in a case involving violent organized crime," said Vance on the social media site X.
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Another juror in the case was arrested for pulling down posters in the 1990s, and said Thursday he'd failed to disclose that information when selected. He also expressed concern about how much was revealed about the jurors seated, MSNBC reported, and was dismissed.
Vance briefly appeared on MSNBC to echo her online sentiments, telling Andrea Mitchell that the only parallel she has to something like this is "violent organized crime cases."
The potential juror being questioned about his activities in the 1990s isn't outside the norm, she explained.
"It's not unusual to see a potential juror who maybe has to clarify an earlier answer," Vance said. "In a situation where someone's not truthful, whether it's about a prior conviction or some other matter, often they are excused from jury service.
"What's so unusual here is this concern from the other juror who walked in after being selected and said, I don't think I can be impartial because of all of the outside influences that are being exerted against me already, even this early in the process."
Former U.S. Attorney Andrew Weissmann helped prosecute organized crime cases in New York and similarly had questions about the protection of the jurors.
"A Manhattan jury selection concern: whether there has been and will continue to be the strategic dissemination of information by the Trump team about jurors who they see as problematic for them in order to scare them off from jury service," he said on X.
Vance had a similar comment on MSNBC, saying it remains to be seen whether the judge will be able to protect jurors.
See the report in the video below or at the link here.
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