A consultant hired by Casey Anthony's attorneys analyzed more than 40,000 opinions on various social media sites and blogs where her attorneys then used them to craft their trial strategy. According to a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, "When bloggers and others in social media sites started to attack George Anthony about his alleged mistress, the defense team beefed up their questions against him."The Casey Anthony trial has brought social media into the courtroom. While jurors may be prevented from tweeting or updating their Facebook status from the courtroom or during the duration of a trial, the jury of public opinion is running rampant, 24/7 with their opinions of the trial.
According to Amy Singer, the social media consultant in the case, her team of five individuals would scan a variety of sites, blogs and tweets to gauge opinions about the trial, wtiness testimonies, evidence and the body language of the defendant. Those opinions were given the the defense attorney where they adjusted their tactics based on what they learned on line.
With the Casey Anthony trial now over, public opinion still wages on in social media circles, but one thing is clear, Facebook and Twitter have changed the way lawyers defend or prosecute a case. Fraser Trebilcock, through its subsidiary, Fraser Consulting, has access to public relations and public affairs experts who monitor social media on behalf of a number of clients and respond when a response is warranted. Fraser Trebilcock also recently launched a Litigation + Strategic Communications practice group to help clients manage the message in the courtroom and out.
For more information, please visit www.fraserlawfirm.com or contact Daniel Cherrinat dcherrin@fraserlawfirm.com.