All articles tagged with #jury bias
A federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas, declared a mistrial in a case accusing a group of protesters linked to antifa of terrorism after a defense attorney wore a Civil Rights Movement–themed shirt in court, prompting concerns about juror bias; the trial will restart with a fresh jury panel.
Ghislaine Maxwell has filed a petition to vacate her sex crime conviction, citing new evidence including juror bias and suppressed testimony that could undermine her case, though such petitions are rarely successful. The petition coincides with a deadline for the release of related investigative files.
Former President Donald Trump's lawyers are seeking to delay his impending criminal trial on charges related to hush-money payments, arguing for a change of venue and challenging a partial gag order. They claim potential jury bias in Manhattan and assert that the trial should be pushed back while Trump challenges the order. The Manhattan district attorney's office declined to comment, and the judge has yet to rule on the motion. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, who argued that the riots in the city biased the jury against him. Chauvin, who is white, was sentenced to over 20 years in prison for the killing of Floyd, a Black man, which sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism. His attorneys claimed that the jurors felt compelled to find him guilty to prevent further unrest. The Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal without providing an explanation.
A former California sheriff's deputy, Meagan McCarthy, blames anti-law enforcement bias after a jury acquitted a man who was seen on video beating her and attempting to shoot her with her own weapon. McCarthy believes recent reforms to California's jury selection process allowed jurors with a bias against law enforcement to decide her case. The jury found the suspect not guilty of attempted murder and assaulting a peace officer but guilty of negligent discharge of a firearm. McCarthy, who suffered physical and emotional trauma from the attack, expressed disappointment and frustration with the justice system and the state of California.