Bringing Up Race at Trial: Helpful to Defendants? New ComCon Online Jury Research Update PublishedWhen racial differences are made a salient issue in a criminal case, white jurors exhibit less racial bias toward black defendants.
This Issue of ComCon’s free Online Jury Research Update (OJRU) summarizes research from two studies investigating the effect on jurors' verdicts when racial differences that exist in a criminal case are mentioned or are left unspoken. One key finding: When racial differences are made a salient issue in a criminal case, white jurors exhibit less racial bias toward black defendants in their verdicts and sentencing decisions. Additional findings are discussed in the Update. The OJRU is a free publication of ComCon Kathy Kellermann Communication Consulting hosted on ComCon’s website at http://www.kkcomcon.com/ ComCon, a trial and jury consulting firm in Los Angeles, publishes the free OJRU four times each month to provide practical answers to questions about trying cases to juries based on social science research. Issues of the OJRU in the last few months answer such questions as: * Do jurors expect scientific evidence in criminal cases? * Do jurors think sexual harassment in person or by email is worse? * Do jurors believe that non-native English speakers are as truthful as native English speakers? * To what extent do jurors discuss jury instructions in deliberations? * How well do jurors understand jury instructions on reasonable doubt? * Does refutation of peripheral details hurt a witness’s credibility? * Do jurors distinguish circumstantial and direct evidence? * How does a juror’s social class influence understanding of evidence? OJRU Issues in the four years since its inception answer questions about voir dire, juror characteristics, jury decision-making, judicial instructions, persuasive strategies, graphics, language, evidence, witnesses, experts, judges, attorneys, plaintiffs, defendants, civil case issues (settlement, liability, damages), criminal case issues (due process rights, defenses, etc.) and specific types of cases (employment, sexual assault, death penalty, personal injury, malpractice, etc.). Join ComCon on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ ComCon additionally posts announcements on facebook or twitter of new Jury Research Updates, Visual Resources, Slide Shows, Litigator Links, Trial Books, Persuasion Tips and Litigation Articles added to free “Kollectionns” # # # About ComCon: Litigation, trial and jury consultant firm specializing in persuasion and making cases compelling for motions, hearings, depositions, mediations, arbitrations, trials and appeals in civil and criminal cases, federal and state courts, and national and local venues. For more information, contact ComCon directly (clientservices at kkcomcon.com) End
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