title: From the shadows into the light: How pretrial publicity and deliberation affect mock jurors' decisions, impressions, and memory.
abstract: This 2-part study explored how exposure to negative pretrial publicity (Neg-PTP) influences the jury process, as well as possible mechanisms responsible for its biasing effects on decisions. Study Part A explored how PTP and jury deliberations affect juror/jury verdicts, memory, and impressions of the defendant and attorneys. One week before viewing a criminal trial mock-jurors (N = 320 university students) were exposed to Neg-PTP or unrelated crime stories (No-PTP). Two days later deliberating jurors came to a group decision, whereas nondeliberating jurors completed an unrelated task before making an individual decision. Neg-PTP jurors were more likely to vote guilty, make memory errors, and rate the defendant lower in credibility. Deliberation reduced Neg-PTP jurors' memory accuracy and No-PTP jurors' guilty verdicts (leniency bias). Jurors' memory and ratings of the defendant and prosecuting attorney significantly mediated the effect of PTP on guilt ratings. Study Part B content analyzed 30 mock-jury deliberations and explored how PTP influenced deliberations and ultimately jury decisions. Neg-PTP juries were more likely than No-PTP juries to discuss ambiguous trial evidence in a proprosecution manner and less likely to discuss judicial instructions and lack of evidence. All Neg-PTP juries mentioned PTP, after instructed otherwise, and rarely corrected jury members who mentioned PTP. Discussion of ambiguous trial evidence in a proprosecution manner and lack of evidence significantly mediated the effect of PTP on jury-level guilt ratings. Together the findings suggest that judicial admonishments and deliberations may not be sufficient to reduce PTP bias, because of memory errors, biased impressions, and predecisional distortion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ruva
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health Law & Policy, University of South Florida.
authors.forename: Christina C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Guenther
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D033222:Judicial Role; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011639:Public Opinion; D055815:Young Adult