NCJ Number
40780
Journal
Brigham Young University Law Review Volume: 1975 Issue: 2 Dated: (1975) Pages: 331-373
Date Published
1975
Length
43 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF THREE GROUPS OF STUDIES WHICH ASSESSED THE RESPONSE OF JURORS TO VIDEOTAPE TRIALS AND FOUND NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON JURY RESPONSE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.
Abstract
THE FIRST SET OF STUDIES REPORTED IN THIS ARTICLE CENTER ON THE VIDEOTAPE OF ONE TRIAL, THE CASE OF NUGENT V. CLARK. THIS TAPE WAS USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE MODE OF PRESENTATION - LIVE OR VIDEOTAPE - INFLUENCED JURORS' VERDICTS, PERCEPTIONS OF ATTORNEY CREDIBILITY, INFORMATION RETENTION, AND INTEREST AND MOTIVATION. THE TAPE WAS ALSO USED TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS OF SPLIT-SCREEN AND FULL-SCREEN VIDEOTAPE VIEWING, AND TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS ON JUROR VERDICTS RESULTING FROM DELETION OF INADMISSIBLE TESTIMONY FROM THE TRIAL. THE SECOND GROUP OF STUDIES DEALS EXCLUSIVELY WITH DIFFERENCES IN INFORMATION RETENTION DEMONSTRATED BY JURORS EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT MODES OF TRIAL PRESENTATION. THE FIRST STUDY OF THIS GROUP COMPARED THE INFORMATION RETENTION EXHIBITED BY JURORS PARTICIPATING IN LIVE TRIALS WITH THAT DEMONSTRATED BY JURORS WATCHING VIDEOTAPE TRIALS. THE SECOND AND THIRD STUDIES COMPARED THE EFFECTS OF BLACK-AND-WHITE VIDEOTAPE WITH THE EFFECTS OF COLOR VIDEOTAPE ON JUROR INFORMATION RETENTION. THE THIRD GROUP OF STUDIES REPORTED IN THIS ARTICLE EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF VIDEOTAPE ON JURORS' EMOTIONAL AROUSAL. THE FINAL SECTION OF THE ARTICLE SUMMARIZES THE FINDINGS AND DRAWS GENERAL CONCLUSIONS FROM THE RESEARCH. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE JUROR RESPONSES DEALT WITH IN THESE STUDIES, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF VIDEOTAPE PRESENTATIONS HAS ANY DRASTIC OR DELETERIOUS EFFECT ON COURTROOM COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TRIAL PARTICIPANTS AND JURORS. HENCE, THERE EXIST NO STRONG GROUNDS FOR ARGUING THAT VIDEOTAPE WILL EXERCISE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON JUROR DECISIONMAKING. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...DMC