Doctoral Dissertation Research: Judges' and attorneys' judgments of the extent to which jurors have been prejudiced by pretrial publicity

法官和律师是否能够发现潜在的陪审员（venireperson）之间的偏见是一个关键的问题，在高度宣传的案件中，大多数陪审团池已暴露于审前宣传（PTP）。 目前的研究将解决1）律师和法官是否可以准确地衡量潜在的陪审员之间的PTP暴露/偏见的差异，2）如何潜在的陪审员？是否担任陪审员的动机（以及随后的印象管理策略）影响律师和法官发现偏见的能力; 3）是否拒绝关于陪审员公正性重要性的指示会降低陪审员根据其特定动机定制陪审员可怕反应的能力。 在论文的第一阶段，研究人员将操纵呈现给模拟venireperson的负面PTP的数量，随后测量他们对被告的偏见。 然后，在模拟陪审团成员参加模拟的预先审查之前，他们将被激励进入陪审团或被免除陪审团。 然后，一位模拟法官将在询问理想陪审员中公正的重要性（这是标准的）或诚实的重要性以及理想陪审员中的各种意见之前指导陪审员。 最后，审判人员将观看审判录像并作出判决。 在拟议的论文研究的第二阶段，律师和法官将观看视频的voir dires，以衡量他们是否可以1）准确判断venirepersons'暴露于PTP和他们的审前偏见的程度和2）有效地使用因果挑战和强制性罢工，以消除不利和/或有偏见的venirepersons。 这项拟议中的研究将专门测试法官？和律师吗区分或多或少有偏见的venirepersons的能力，并将提供如何venirepersons洞察？动机和印象管理策略影响法官和律师准确发现PTP偏见的能力。

Whether judges and attorneys are able to detect bias among potential jurors (venirepersons) is a pivotal concern in highly publicized cases in which most of the jury pool has been exposed to pretrial publicity (PTP). The current research will address 1) whether attorneys and judges can accurately gauge differences in PTP exposure/bias among potential jurors, 2) how potential jurors? motivations to serve or not serve on a jury (and subsequent impression management tactics) affect attorneys' and judges' abilities to detect bias, and 3) whether withholding instructions on the importance of juror impartiality can reduce venirepersons' abilities to tailor voir dire responses to their specific motivations. In the first phase of the proposed dissertation, the researchers will manipulate the amount of negative PTP presented to mock venirepersons and subsequently measure their bias against the defendant. Mock venirepersons will then be motivated to be impaneled on or excused from a jury before they participate in a simulated voir dire. A mock judge will then instruct venirepersons before questioning either on the importance of impartiality among ideal jurors (which is standard) or the importance of honesty and a variety of opinions among ideal jurors. Finally, venirepersons will watch a videotaped trial and render verdicts. In the second phase of the proposed dissertation research, attorneys and judges will view videos of the voir dires to gauge whether they can 1) accurately judge the extent of venirepersons' exposure to PTP and their pretrial prejudice and 2) effectively use causal challenges and peremptory strikes to eliminate unfavorable and/or biased venirepersons. The proposed study will specifically test judges? and attorneys? abilities to differentiate between more or less biased venirepersons, and will provide insight into how venirepersons? motivations and impression management tactics influence judges' and attorneys' abilities to accurately detect PTP bias.