A juror in a Little Rock, Arkansas courtroom found out first hand how today's technology can tamper with a trial. Jonathan Powell, while sitting as a juror in a trial which ended in a $12.6 million verdict against a building materials company and its owner, posted multiple messages, or "tweets" via cell phone onto the website Twitter.com. The posted messages showed his bias against the defendant and now the company, Stoam Holdings and its owner, Russell Wright, are appealing the verdict.
Twitter.com allows users to post 140, or less, word messages called "tweets" that others can follow throughout the day. It is unlikely a new trial will be granted, but this reminds us of all the advances in technology and how they can be an advantage or disadvantage in our ever changing world.
