View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
June 16, 2005updated 22 Nov 2022 3:43pm

Jacko jurors’ lesson for British justice

By Press Gazette

The delight on the editorial floor of the Ten O’Clock News must have
been unbridled. After 14 long weeks of evidence, and days of jury
deliberation, the Michael Jackson trial came to its dramatic, live
conclusion right on cue, just after 10pm. Even Jacko’s choreographer
couldn’t have timed it better.

And the BBC duly notched up eight million viewers.

But the real revelation, for British viewers, came a little later. After delivering their 10 “not guilty” verdicts,
the jurors were ushered into a press conference suite where they were
able to talk freely about why they reached their conclusions. In the
end, the hard evidence against the singer simply didn’t add up to very
much, they explained.

It was a fascinating insight into workings of their minds – and into the workings of American justice.

One explained how she’d been put off by the way one accuser’s mother had snapped her fingers.

Had
they been British jurors, no such scene would be imaginable. Here, any
juror who talks about what goes on behind the locked door of the jury
room would be risking contempt of court charges.

And that means
not only no press conferences, but even academic study is forbidden. It
also means, crucially for journalists, that there’s no way of finding
out if and how they’re affected by media coverage of the case they’ve
been trying.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

In the interests of open justice, let them talk.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network