Following my post on the criminal defense lawyer’s dream juror comes an Austin American Statesman article “Internet aids trial lawyers doing background checks on clients, jurors”. What caught my eye of note towards DWI defense was this bit:
Sometimes the drunken-party photos are sufficient. Jurors whose Facebook page reveals a certain fondness for Sixth Street’s nightlife or appreciation of the local music scene tend to be sympathetic to her DUI clients, said Mary Ann Espiritu, an associate with Chris Dorbandt & Associates.
Stories about the government digging up information about criminal defendants and using their online postings against them are becoming increasingly common. Of course, most of the time a defense attorney keeps or strikes a juror because of something they posted to Facebook or on their blog no one will be the wiser. Kudos to Eric Dexheimer of the Statesman for exploring this less publicized aspect of internet research and the law.