(Image Source: desarmandon)

BY NICK ADAMS

ANCHOR CHRISTIAN BRYANT

A man facing the death penalty will get a new trial because of... Twitter? Erickson Dimas-Martinez was convicted of murder last year, but appealed the decision because of one juror’s tweeting activities. CNN has the latest.

“The Arkansas Supreme Court granted a death row inmate a retrial because a juror was caught tweeting during the trial. Another one was sleeping. Experts say it could mean that they weren't listening to all the evidence.”

After getting caught once, the juror continued to ignore instructions not to tweet. The Wall Street Journal explains the judge’s decision to grant Martinez a new trial.

“In an unanimous opinion, Justice Donald Corbin wrote, ‘Because of the very nature of Twitter as an on online social media site, [the juror's] tweets about the trial were very much public discussions. Even if such discussions were one-sided, it is in no way appropriate for a juror to state musings, thoughts, or other information about a case in such a public fashion.’”

So what exactly did the juror tweet? A CNET blogger has the details.

“One tweet reportedly read: ‘The coffee sucks here.’ Which, I suppose, might lead some to believe that a juror would want to declare a quick verdict ... Other musings were more philosophical. For example: "Choices to be made. Hearts to be broken...We each define the great line." … The Supreme Court defined the great line as being drawn by those who are so desperate to tweet that they toss their civic responsibility to the socially networked winds.”


KTHV’s coverage of the juror tweeting wasn’t as lighthearted.  It talked to a law school associate dean who says the juror was definitely crossing the line.

“The fact that you have someone on a jury who is apparently willing to disregard such a simple instruction given by the trial court to the individual is troubling."

Dimas-Martinez was convicted in 2010 of robbing and shooting a teenager. The new trial date has not yet been set.