With Casey Anthony about to walk, lawmaker files bill to keep jurors from making money off of service

Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, on Thursday filed a bill that would call for a nine-month "cooling off" period after jurors are dismissed before they could consider accepting money for sharing details about a trial.

The moves comes just days before Casey Anthony is released from jail after a jury last week found her not guilty in the murder of her child.

Randolph's Juror Compensation Bill, HB 51, would make violations of the law a third-degree felony punishable by fines of up to $10,000.

Concerns are that the prospect of being paid to discuss a trial might influence a jury's thinking during the case.

"The purpose of this legislation is to preserve the integrity of the jury process," Randolph said in a prepared statement. "It balances the First Amendment freedom of speech with the Sixth Amendment guarantee to a fair trial. The United States Supreme Court has always held that the preservation of a fair trial must be maintained at all costs. I believe that means fairness for the state as well as the defendant."

Randolph said he will also file legislation that would keep the names of jurors private, unless individuals choose to come forward.

Comments

[Denny Wood]

Legislators cannot miss a way to get their name in the newspaper. This was a media event and this Legislator is just getting his name out there at the right media time. This issue will die and go away and people will wake up and remember this is still America. This legislator needs to work on creating jobs, not headlines, he needs to find some creative ways to balance the budget, like maybe a 2% residential tax to keep our schools running at 100% or adding EZ-MATCH to the other lotto tickets or making Dept. of resale certificate use for the purpose which the business put on their application, and not for buying televisons at B.J.'s for personal use.

[Denny Wood]

In the above I tried to say a 2% tax on residental rental property. Denny Wood

[Kitty]

Good job! I am so sick of ppl just being on high profile cases to make a buck. It does influence the verdict, whether ppl choose to admit it or not. I say "go for it lawmakers, you have my vote!".