Internet fear shapes a jury

A Georgia jury went for serious damages against a blogger, and their fear of cyberspace played a role.

The note asked the judge to seize the notes [the defendant] had taken throughout the week-long trial.

"The judge appropriately denied the jury's request, but the note demonstrates in our view that the jury was being influenced during deliberations by their own fears, not just the evidence," [attorney Thomas M. Clyde] said. The defense considered the note an indicator of the jurors' "fears about the Internet."

One caveat: that was the defense attorney.

(via Steve Worona's Twitter)