Social media in the courtroom!

Good Day Readers:

Sorry for the delay we're doing double duty covering a couple high profile murder cases - the Jerome Labossiere and Mark Stobbe trials.

An interesting situation not reported by the mainstream media (presumably deemed "unnewsworthy" - we believe otherwise) occurred a couple days ago during the Labossiere-Hince proceedings. Each are facing three counts of first degree murder in the November 2005 shooting deaths of parents Fernand and Rita Labossiere along with son Remi at their Saint Leon, Manitoba farmhouse .

A couple days ago presiding Queen's Bench Justice Brenda Keyser advised the court one of the jurors had arranged to have a note passed to her. Apparently said juror has a Facebook Page on which one of their "friends" they'd known since childhood (police officer) had testified at the trial. Madam Keyser requested the juror immediately "defriend" the officer from their Page until after the trial. She then read the names of the 18 remaining witnesses to be heard requesting any juror in the same situation do likewise. The quick actions of Her Honour may have prevented a possible mistrial.

That's how it was confirmed the last person to testify will be Jeremie Toupin also originally charged with three counts of first degree murder. According to Provincial Court File Registry records these were stayed by the Crown on June 14, 2010. Mr. Toupin has pled guilty to one charge of second degree murder for which he will be sentenced after the trial.

The Labossiere trial adjourned early Wednesday afternoon until the morning of Monday January 23 at 10 a.m. In the meantime, we've been attending a voir dire hearing before Queen's Bench Justice Chris Martin in Courtroom 120 related to the second degree murder charge against Mr. Mark Stobbe. Since the jury has been excluded we are not allowed to comment any further.

A common practice, we fully endorse, involves secondary school teachers accompanying classes to court proceedings after which students are required to submit written reports for which they receive credit toward a final grade - have encountered such groups several times. We have been advised upon arrival at The Law Courts both teachers and students a given a brief orientation before they're "let loose in the courtroom" so to speak. It's reasonable to assume some teachers/students have Blogs, others FaceBook Pages while there are also "Tweeters."

Here's what we'd like to know. Does their basic orientation include a primer on the rules of public disclosure so they do not inadvertently use the social media to release information about a live trial that is not public domain thereby triggering the possibility of a mistrial?  

We are sending a copy of this posting to a Law Courts Official. Any reply received will be published. They can choose to remain anonymous or otherwise - their call.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk