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Judge urges statute outlawing targeted juror contact after local trial incident
Summary
Ashtabula County Judge David Schroeder told the House Judiciary Committee a gap in Ohio law allowed a juror to be contacted during trial lunch and urged passage of HB478 to criminalize jury tampering, citing social-media risks and organized interference.
Judge David Schroeder described a trial incident in Ashtabula County in which a juror was directly contacted during a lunch break by someone acting on behalf of a defendant. Schroeder said the court responded appropriately by excusing the juror and using an alternate, but that Ohio lacks a specific criminal statute to address this kind of targeted jury tampering in criminal cases.
Schroeder told the committee he reviewed Pennsylvania law and concluded Ohio should adopt a comparable statute to deter organized or social-media-driven attempts to influence jurors. He said jurors receive instructions not to investigate or conduct outside research but that targeted contact — especially in smaller communities where acquaintances are common — can compromise verdicts and threaten trial integrity.
Committee members asked Schroeder whether the average person understands this conduct is criminal and how juror education might be improved. Schroeder said some actors are not average citizens but organized efforts; he urged statutory clarity and enforcement tools. The committee recorded support and some joint sponsorship; the hearing included written-only testimony as well.
