MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It might seem to go unnoticed amid all of the other problems brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, but the fact that there are no jury trials going on in Shelby County right now only adds to the hardship that people are experiencing from COVID-19.
There have been no jury trials in the county for months. And as Administrative Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee told Local 24 news’ Mike Matthews recently, don’t expect a trial anytime soon - probably not until March, perhaps later. The reason? It is impossible to adhere to social distancing in any of the courtrooms – criminal or civil.
The result is lots of defendants are languishing behind bars awaiting their day in court. Plus, an equal number of victims – and the family of victims – are being deprived of their right to speedy justice.
So what’s the answer? One possible solution being discussed nationally is to conduct trials using videoconferencing technology such as Zoom or other platforms. But legal experts, including those with the American Bar Association, believe virtual trials deprive defendants of certain constitutional rights, including due process of law and the right to adequately confront witnesses.
Pretrial hearings and status reports on Zoom are one thing. Getting all parties, including a full jury, together for a trial online is something different.
So, just like everything else during this horrible pandemic, justice continues to require patience. And that’s my point of view.