What If There Has Been Substantial Media Coverage Before My Trial?

In cases such as OJ Simpson or Casey Anthony, there has been substantial media coverage of these "cases of the century." In all of these "cases of the century" there was a lot of media coverage that, for better or worse, begins to form opinions in potential jurors. As experience shows, these opinions are not favorable to the suspect's perceived innocence or guilt.

If there has been negative news coverage, a potential remedy for the suspect is to ask for a change of venue. In order to move the trial to a different location, it is important to show that the process of jury selection will not remove the "taint" from the pretrial negative publicity. Jury selection occurs at the beginning of trial--this is the only time that the jury members have to speak with the attorneys about the case. The attorneys try to find out the potential jury members opinions on the case, the law, and the potential punishment that might be rendered against the defendant.

If the news coverage has been so explosive that the jury selection process will not remove preconceived notions of the defendant's guilt, then a change of venue might be the proper remedy.

If you have been charged with a violent crime, contact a Plano criminal defense lawyer today.