On both Irvin v. Dowd and Sheppard v. Maxwell, the U.S. Supreme Court made similar rulings. What ruling?
A) excessive pre-trial publicity and media coverage of the trials themselves led to unfair trials for the defendants
B) excessive pre-trial publicity and media coverage of the trials themselves did not lead to unfair trials for the defendants

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both cases involved a finding that the extensive media coverage and pre-trial publicity had interfered with the defendants' ability to receive a fair trial. In Irvin v. Dowd, the court found that the community hostility towards the defendant was so great that it was impossible for him to receive a fair trial. In Sheppard v. Maxwell, the court found that the trial judge had not taken sufficient steps to protect the defendant's right to a fair trial in the face of extensive media coverage that had prejudiced the jury. Thus, the answer is A, as both cases had a finding of unfair trials due to excessive pre-trial publicity and media coverage.

On Both Irvin V