Jury consultants are now mining the Internet — especially social networking sites — to gather information on potential jurors that they probably couldn’t get from the traditional juror questionnaire.
I’m always amazed at the detailed, private information some people reveal to the world online. My advice: If you wouldn’t want to read it on the front page of your local paper, don’t post it online. This LA Times story is another cautionary tale about privacy, as well as a fascinating look at how technology has transformed the jury consultant industry — an industry I didn’t even know existed until it was tapped by O.J. Simpson’s defense team during his infamous murder trial. For a time, consultant Joe-Ellan Dimitrius was one of the most recognizable faces on cable TV.