[candymosh]

The Cameron County District Attorney’s Office will begin utilizing a new tool in the jury selection process, courtesy of social media.

The district attorney’s office plans to use prospective jurors’ Facebook profiles and postings when considering whether an individual is qualified to sit on a jury.

Facebook, a social media network launched in 2004, has an estimated 500 million users worldwide, with about half connecting to the network on a daily basis. The profile displays information about the individual that he or she has chosen to share, including interests, education and work background.

Cameron County courtrooms recently were upgraded so that all courtrooms are Wi-Fi compatible, which will allow prosecutors to use iPads during the jury selection process, District Attorney Armando R. Villalobos said.

“It is good to be able to access that (social media information) to be able to look at it. You always want to be ahead of the defense bar or at least on par with it,” Villalobos said. “I would like my attorneys and staff to use every available tool in their arsenal, because that is what it is for.”

Currently, the prosecutors and defense attorneys only have the basic information about the potential juror that includes their name, children, religion and employer. Prosecutors also have smartphones where they can do quick queries on potential jurors by using the Google search.

The iPad will allow the individuals to expand the searches by being able to checkout Facebook profiles of potential jurors, Villalobos said.

“People tend to post more freely on Facebook then they might face to face,” Villalobos said. “As a DA (district attorney) I would be all for it because the more information I have, the better off we are going to be in getting a fair jury and getting the convictions and acquittals the system needs to function.”

Whether prosecutors will be able to access a person’s Facebook account depends on whether the individual has a privacy setting on it, meaning only the friends of the person can see what he or she is posting.

If no privacy setting has been established, anyone has access to the individual’s profile, which may include his or her likes, dislikes and views.

“I think at some point, once we refine it and get better at it, it will be extremely useful,” Villalobos said. “But I think right now it is going to be a little hit or miss because the user still controls who can see his or her page.”

The district attorney said he understands that some jurors may see it is an invasion of their privacy, but added that once prosecutors are done with the information it will be disposed of.

“I think if a juror recognizes that it is information that is being used for that particular purpose on who the jurors are, how they feel on the issues and help streamline the process and make it quicker, I feel the juror would be fine with that knowing the information will be dumped at that point,” Villalobos said.



Guess it's time to update the ol' status to reflect that I don't care what the person has done, they are guilty and should be hung post haste

[Psychonautical]

One more way to get out of Jury Duty.

[candymosh]

Originally Posted by Psychonautical.... ↗

One more way to get out of Jury Duty.

[collaredgirl65]

How will this work, when so many people, me included, have their Facebook profiles set to private? Only friends can see your information.

[Pink.]

this is about as silly as the Nicaraguan Military using Google Maps in order to decide a boundary and "attacking costa Rica'.....

Not only that, there is not the assumption that what is said in these so-called profiles contain ANY truth....much less relevant "truths' to qualification to walk a dog....much less serving on a jury.

[Steve]

I read somewhere that the authorities called up a womans cat for jury service, so she told them it was some sort of mix up, but they didn't get back to her, I guess they will fine the cat then.

[Black Knight]

Originally Posted by Psychonautical.... ↗

One more way to get out of Jury Duty.

I was thinking the same thing. Time to start posting drunken pictures of myself in my kilt again!

[variable]

How come people dont want to be part of a jury? I guess if my lawsystem would have jurors, I'd like to be part. Do you get offtime from work? And a salary?

[Maoh1349]

I'm all for it,like it's already been said this is another nice way to get out of jury duty

[Pink.]

THIS is total stupidity.

facebook, Farcebook, Fuckbook.