Opinion ID: 1810757
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Psychological effect.

Text: Because of the scanty empirical data available to permit an assessment of the psychological impact upon courtroom participants, opponents assert that the presence of electronic media will have myriad adverse effects. They maintain that: (1) lawyers will grandstand or play to the cameras to advance their own self interests; (2) judges will engage in posturing  particularly at election time; (3) witnesses will either assume a stage presence and ham it up or will be so intimidated as not to be able to present fairly their testimony; (4) jurors will either be distracted from concentrating on the evidence and the issues to be decided by them or, because of their identification with the proceedings, they will fear for their personal safety, be subjected to influence by members of the public, or attempt to conform their verdict to community opinion; and (5) the presence of electronic media in the courtroom will make that case appear to the participants to be a cause celebre and, therefore, prevent an objective and dispassionate presentation and resolution of the issues. These are concerns that any fair minded person would share because they would, certainly in combination, be antithetical to a fair trial. The fact remains, however, that the assertions are but assumptions unsupported by any evidence. No respondent has been able to point to any instance during the pilot program period where these fears were substantiated. Such evidence as exists would appear to refute the assumptions. The Survey reflects that the assumed influences upon participants during the experimental period were perceived to vary in degree from not at all to slightly. More importantly, there was no significant difference in the presence or degree of these influences as between the electronic and print media. Ante 769. Similarly, it was the opinion of an overwhelming majority (90-95%) of respondents to the survey of the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges that jurors, witnesses, and lawyers were not affected in the performance of their sworn duty in the courtroom. Ante 770. With particular reference to the charge of an inflated appearance of newsworthiness created by the presence of the electronic media in the courtroom, it must be recognized that newsworthy trials are newsworthy trials, and that they will be extensively covered by the media both within and without the courtroom whether Canon 3 A(7) is modified or not. Consequently, if it is deemed to be to the public advantage to permit electronic media coverage in the courtroom, it seems inappropriate to be dissuaded by honestly perceived but unsubstantiated concerns as to adverse psychological effects on participants.