The Effect of Judges’ Instructions on Jury Deliberation Content and Jury Nullification

• In Event: Constraints and Opportunities in Group Decision Making Processes

Abstract

Depending on a judge’s instructions, jurors may rely on their feelings of sympathy toward the victim to form their attitudes and feelings during deliberation. Mock juries who viewed a trial with an unsympathetic versus a sympathetic victim were slightly more likely to make statements blaming the victim. Innocent supporting juries who viewed an unsympathetic victim offered more nullification relevant statements than guilt supporting juries in either condition or innocent supporting juries in the sympathetic condition.

Author

• Mary Braz, West Chester Univ