Juror Selection Is More Important Than Atlantic City Mayor’s Trial

The criminal trial of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small begins today … delayed one day from yesterday’s anticipated start date.

In every trial, criminal (as in this case), or, civil … juror selection is supremely important. It can literally make or break your case.

In the case of Marty Small, it may turn out that juror selection is more important than the criminal trial itself.

Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office

Has amassed a treasure trove of evidence against Marty Small, including video, audio, text messages, phone records and more.

The evidence is not Marty Small’s friend in this case. It is his anchor and can readily sink him.

All It Takes Is One

As in one juror. It appears to me that it could be hard to find a unanimous jury that will acquit Marty Small of all 4 serious criminal charges.

However, Team Small does not need a unanimous jury that will see things his way in this case.

All they need is one juror, who refuses to vote guilty … no matter how much compelling evidence there may be.

Voir Dire

A French term that means “to speak the truth.”

This is the fancy legal term for the process of selecting the jury.

Lawyers on both sides question potential jurors to see if they can be impartial and acceptable to serve on a jury.

Jury Nullification

It happens. If a jury as a collective doesn’t want to convict a defendant, despite the evidence … or, a single juror can decide against a guilty verdict.

Jurors are supposed make their decision based solely on the evidence presented in court.

It’s not a formal right … but, jury nullification does happen in certain cases.

Here Are The Criminal Charges That Marty Faces

• second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
• third-degree Terroristic Threats.
• third-degree Aggravated Assault.
• A separate Atlantic County Grand Jury also indicted Marty Small for witness tampering.

All it takes is one. Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small is counting on that.

Developing.