Snapshot Judgement: The Case Against Illustrated Indictments
The author writes "A picture is worth a thousand words, the saying goes. In the past couple of years, federal prosecutors, led in large part by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, have enthusiastically embraced that adage by routinely including sensational photographs in high-profile indictments against well-known figures such as Donald Trump, Mayor Eric Adams, and Senator Robert Menendez."
January 15, 2025 at 11:00 AM
9 minute read
A picture is worth a thousand words, the saying goes. In the past couple of years, federal prosecutors, led in large part by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, have enthusiastically embraced that adage by routinely including sensational photographs in high-profile indictments against well-known figures such as Donald Trump, Mayor Eric Adams, and Senator Robert Menendez.
The media understandably publishes those images which then are burned into the minds of judges and potential jurors. While the increased use of visuals is consistent with the way most people consume news today, at times it may cross the line into prejudicial pretrial publicity.
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