https://youtube.com/watch?v=WEHkias-P1E
Beth Kassab, a columnist for the Orlando Sentinel, called for the release of the names of the six women who served on the George Zimmerman jury. She criticized defense attorney Mark O’Mara’s request to keep the names private for six months until the controversy fades.
Ms. Kassab appeared on CNN Wednesday evening to discuss her column on why the names should be public immediately. She argued that if the identities of the jurors are allowed to remain “confidential indefinitely,” it will “undermine the transparency and the openness that the criminal justice system is founded on.”
While she admitted concerns for the safety of the women are “valid,” Kassab argued that secrecy weakens public confidence in the justice system. Though juror B-37 received death threats following her shadow appearance on CNN earlier this week, the columnist advises that the focus be on the “checks and balances” of judicial proceedings.