Posted on Aug 19, 2023
Threats, slurs and menace: Far-right websites target Fulton County grand jurors
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https://www.npr.org/2023/08/18/ [login to see] /trump-indictment-fulton-county-grand-jurors-threats
Before many people had a chance to fully read through the Fulton County, Ga., indictment against former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants, malicious online actors had already done their work.
On a far-right website, where the QAnon conspiracy theory originated, an anonymous user on Tuesday shared a list of the 23 grand jurors with their supposed full names, ages and addresses. Amid a torrent of other posts speculating on the race and religion of the jurors, and rife with derogatory slurs, the implication was clear: This was a target list.
In Georgia — unlike in federal cases, for example — it is standard practice to list the names of grand jurors in indictments. But given the high profile nature of this case and an increasing appetite among Americans for political violence, some are wondering whether more might have been done to safeguard jurors' privacy.
Before many people had a chance to fully read through the Fulton County, Ga., indictment against former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants, malicious online actors had already done their work.
On a far-right website, where the QAnon conspiracy theory originated, an anonymous user on Tuesday shared a list of the 23 grand jurors with their supposed full names, ages and addresses. Amid a torrent of other posts speculating on the race and religion of the jurors, and rife with derogatory slurs, the implication was clear: This was a target list.
In Georgia — unlike in federal cases, for example — it is standard practice to list the names of grand jurors in indictments. But given the high profile nature of this case and an increasing appetite among Americans for political violence, some are wondering whether more might have been done to safeguard jurors' privacy.
Threats, slurs and menace: Far-right websites target Fulton County grand jurors
Posted from npr.org
Donald Trump
Threat
Atlanta
Internet
Crime
Posted 9 mo ago
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For LTC Charlie Brown: please give examples.
These folks should be tracked down and charged.
These folks should be tracked down and charged.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."How courts have protected jurors
In the past, courts have relied primarily on two techniques to protect jurors in high-profile cases, said Paula Hannaford-Agor, director of the Center for Jury Studies at the National Center for State Courts. Particularly in trials involving organized crime outfits, where there have been concerns of bribery or harassment of jurors, judges have been able to sequester juries or keep jurors' names sealed for set periods of time.
In Fulton County, potential safety risks were not discussed during the public portion of grand jury selection. But former prosecutors say grand jurors are typically offered law enforcement escorts to their cars as needed.
Hannaford-Agor said those techniques may not be sufficient to address the current environment. With doxing and an ever-churning, angry online milieu that has radicalized some individuals into committing acts of violence, the source of the threat has become more "ephemeral," and harder to focus in on.
"My professional job is thinking about jurors in high-profile cases, and how do you support jurors and how do you support the jury?" Hannaford-Agor said. "This was not on my radar screen."
At least one state, however, has taken steps that may protect jurors from this risk. In 2021, Oregon passed a law making all jurors anonymous to the public, though their names are disclosed to the parties to the case.
Ultimately, Holewa said she worries that if courts fail to address the reality of extremist violence against jurors, it will become harder to fill the jury box.
"We are going to recommend that every state have a rule on [allowing] anonymous jurors," she said. Without that, she says ordinary citizens will face a conundrum. "Because they want to do... their civic duty. But it also puts [them in] a horrible spot because once this happens, everybody's afraid to come in [to report for jury duty]."
..."How courts have protected jurors
In the past, courts have relied primarily on two techniques to protect jurors in high-profile cases, said Paula Hannaford-Agor, director of the Center for Jury Studies at the National Center for State Courts. Particularly in trials involving organized crime outfits, where there have been concerns of bribery or harassment of jurors, judges have been able to sequester juries or keep jurors' names sealed for set periods of time.
In Fulton County, potential safety risks were not discussed during the public portion of grand jury selection. But former prosecutors say grand jurors are typically offered law enforcement escorts to their cars as needed.
Hannaford-Agor said those techniques may not be sufficient to address the current environment. With doxing and an ever-churning, angry online milieu that has radicalized some individuals into committing acts of violence, the source of the threat has become more "ephemeral," and harder to focus in on.
"My professional job is thinking about jurors in high-profile cases, and how do you support jurors and how do you support the jury?" Hannaford-Agor said. "This was not on my radar screen."
At least one state, however, has taken steps that may protect jurors from this risk. In 2021, Oregon passed a law making all jurors anonymous to the public, though their names are disclosed to the parties to the case.
Ultimately, Holewa said she worries that if courts fail to address the reality of extremist violence against jurors, it will become harder to fill the jury box.
"We are going to recommend that every state have a rule on [allowing] anonymous jurors," she said. Without that, she says ordinary citizens will face a conundrum. "Because they want to do... their civic duty. But it also puts [them in] a horrible spot because once this happens, everybody's afraid to come in [to report for jury duty]."
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The left has been "outing" people for a long time. I don't approve of it on either side
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