Make Your Jurors Feel Good about Themselves

Renowned trial attorney Gerry Spence warns criminal defense attorneys against using subtleties when both questioning them in voir dire and in the presentation of your criminal defense. At the same time, it is paramount that a defending lawyer shows empathy and comes across as being “genuine.”

South Florida criminal defense lawyers William R. Moore and Drew Atria discuss methods to accomplish these goals in addition to making the triers of fact in your next criminal trial feel more comfortable and shed nervousness.

Individual jurors should always be given the opportunity to talk about themselves without taking the focus away from the individual being questioned in any way shape or form. See the latest episode of “State of Arrest”  with self Florida criminal defense lawyer William R. Moore.

Important to be cognizant of the specific tactics that might be used to influence jurors but cautions strongly against using them tactically in an effort to get them to vote not guilty claims Attorney Moore.

“People that may be chosen to sit in judgment of an accused have life experiences and can spot manipulation tactics, or grooming a mile away. Let prosecutors be disingenuous which in my opinion they often are due to the fact that many years standard questions and hypotheticals.”

Let the police that will testify as witnesses for the state appear disingenuous through betrayal. According to renowned trial lawyer Gerry Spence, every criminal matter that a lawyer defends involves an element of betrayal by the police upon the defendant.

According to DUI lawyers in Broward County, Florida, the following allegations are made in 99% of DUI arrests: Slurred speech, red eyes, argumentative, inability to stand without sweating, inability to follow instructions during the roadside sobriety exercises.

William Moore claims that DUI surveillance videos will often show the absence of at least one of these cues of impairment. As this is naturally in direct conflict with officer testimony, jurors will have a natural tendency to feel betrayed. A skilled lawyer will nail this down repeatedly in closing.

Prosecutors want convictions in furtherance of their career; Police officers want arrests followed by convictions in furtherance of their career. Criminal jurors will always have a real problem with this. – Attorney William R. Moore

Understanding the verbal and nonverbal cues that can be used to identify with others can be seen as manipulative if used tactically as opposed to an attorneys simply being aware of them as opposed to being forced. The raising of eyebrows, nodding of the head or even smiling at jurors is strictly prohibited (within reason) by the code of ethics that regulate lawyers. The same holds true with regard to the sharing of similar experiences during the questioning of potential jurors in the selection phase of a criminal trial.

Methods designed to assist jurors in overcoming anxiety or nervousness, however, are tolerated to a certain extent. In fact, the above-mentioned lawyer Gerry Spense has been known to outwardly express the fact that he too generally feels “downright terrified” before trial directly to potential jurors.

The lawyers have a lot riding on the outcome of the case. Like I said prosecutors want to further their careers and the defense attorneys have to deal with the very real fact that their failure will result in their clients being placed on probation, sent to prison or possibly even sentenced to death. Any lawyer who claims not to feel some element of anxiety as the criminal trial begins. Sharing this information with the potential triers of fact is a way to empathize that many prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers.

Remember, be real, be genuine.