Juror Found in Contempt of Court in Trying to Facebook Friend Defendant

by hearit

It's the ultimate legal 'no-no': A juror tries to become friends with a court defendant. He could've wanted to be a bit more than friends. That aim toward intimacy didn't work out too well. The juror who stupidly made that request for 'friendship' official via Facebook also provided evidence against himself, garnering a legal count--or four.
 
A 22-year-old guy's pled guilty to 'friending' in Texas. It could've made for one skewed trial -- but an honest, or freaked out, female defendant told her attorney about the juror who was sort of trailing her. It all made for one unhappy judge.
 
It sounds like a case of eyes locking across a crowded courtroom, at least from the point of view of the juror. After a car accident trial went to recess for a day, the juror's accused of trying to build a relationship of sorts -- via Facebook. The woman said 'no' -- turning down that request for 'friendship' -- and the male juror tried to claim it was all mix-up, or mistaken identity. That didn't quite work out for him too well. Texas jurors are barred from discussing court trials using social media -- and the juror had been given a copy of those jury instructions.
 
The Texas man may have lost himself a spot on the jury, booted as a juror. But he gained four counts of contempt of court plus two days of community service for the legal misstep.

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