The Courtroom Trial
The Courtroom trial Once a jury is selected, the trial officially begins, and the evidence previously gathered comes to life. The evidence produced in the courtroom can range far and wide, from eyewitness testimony, informants, alibis, and confessions to DNA and other types of physical “CSI” evidence, medical tests, handwriting samples, diaries, fingerprints, photographs, and business documents. The trial is a well-orchestrated event. Lawyers for both sides make opening statements. Witnesses then answer questions under oath. Lawyers make closing arguments. The judge instructs the jury. Yet there are many problems in this all-too-human enterprise: The evidence may not be accurate or reliable, jurors may harbor mis- conceptions or bias from extraneous factors, judges’ instructions may fall on deaf ears, and the process of deliberation may cause some jurors to vote for a verdict that contradicts their beliefs. The social psychology of jury decision mak- ing is involved and fascinating. In this section, we identify some of the problems and possible solutions.
