Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror [Paperback]

Hazel Thornton (Author), Lawrence S. Wrightsman (Contributor), Amy J. Posey (Contributor), Alan W. Scheflin (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 1995

It is Wednesday, November 17, 1993. Okay, now we've heard the tape, the real 'confession' tape in which Dr. Oziel recorded part of an actual session with the boys, with their cooperation, on 12/11/89. This is supposedly the most damaging evidence against them but, in my own mind, the way things have been developed over the past four months, it only served to strengthen their defense! True, they never directly mentioned self defense or abuse on the tape, but it could be construed (and was construed by Ms. Abramson and Dr. Burgess) that there were many allusions to both...The taped session was very unprofessional and non-therapeutic and it is clear to me that Oziel was trying to provoke them into saying incriminating things. On June 28, 1993 Hazel Thornton showed up for the first day of jury selection. She didn't know she would spend the next seven months as a juror on one of the year's most high-profile murder trials: The People v. Erik Menendez. Erik Menendez and his brother Lyle were on trial for shot-gunning their parents to death in their Beverly Hills home. Hazel Thornton began keeping her journal as a way of getting the trial out of her system every day, so she could sleep at night without being haunted by the day's testimony. And, sworn to shoulder the burden of silence, she also used the journal to help sort out the barrage of details. A behind the scenes witness, Thornton describes with lucidity, charm, and humor the day-to-day experiences of a juror: the riveting emotional testimonies, the deluge of minutiae, and the unpleasant graphic evidence. Going far beyond the reportage of the print or electronic media, her diary gets inside the thoughts, discussions, and actions of the jury, and the trial process itself. She writes about the jury's deliberations, and eventual dead-lock, with revelatory insight into what really happens on a 'hung jury'. Author note: Hazel Thornton is a senior Engineer at Pacific Bell in Pasadena, California. Lawrence S. Wrightsman is Professor of Psychology at the University of Kansas. Amy J. Posey holds a M.A. in Social Psychology from the University of Kansas. Alan W. Scheflin is Professor of Law at Santa Clara University Law School.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In the last few years, trials such as those of Rodney King, the Menendez brothers, and O.J. Simpson have focused the spotlight on juries. In many cases, the public cannot understand how the jurors decided as they did. Thornton spent seven months as a juror on the high-profile trial of Eric Menendez, who was on trial with his brother, Lyle, for the shooting deaths of his parents in their Beverly Hills home. Unlike the Simpson trial, the Menendez juries (there were two separate juries, one for each brother) were not sequestered. Thornton was free to go home and to work when the jury was not in session. Even with this semblance of a normal life, in order to cope with the stress of hearing and seeing the evidence of violence, she kept a journal to sort out the barrage of details. Her book illustrates both the day-to-day life of a juror and also the difficulties that jurors have in coming to agreement on a verdict and penalty. Of particular interest are the commentaries by two psychologists and an attorney. An interesting addition to true- crime collections, especially with today's overwrought fascination with juries.?Sandra K. Lindheimer, Middlesex Law Lib., Cambridge, Mass.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Hazel Thornton shares her experiences serving on one of the juries of one of the most high-profile murder trials in recent history, that of the Menendez brothers, who were accused of shooting their parents to death as they watched television in their Beverly Hills home. Thornton began keeping a journal as an outlet for her feelings about the case and to help her sort out the deluge of information that she received in court every day. Her candid entries provide readers with an insider's perspective of a controversial trial and show how the defense attorneys successfully used a "blame the victim" strategy, which caused hopeless deadlock among the juries for both defendants. The diary reveals much about the thoughts, discussions, and actions of the jury; it reveals that tensions between the sexes on the jury began early, contributing to the deadlock and eventual mistrial. The book also includes a discussion of the psychological make-up of juries and a commentary endorsing the American jury system. Kathleen Hughes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (October 10, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566393949
• ISBN-13: 978-1566393942
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,040,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice job!, August 27, 2003

By 

Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror (Paperback)

Hazel Thornton was an ordinary juror on an extraordinary trial. She doesn't share the bitterness of some of the OJ jurors, probably because she was reasonably well-treated. Her employer continued to pay her full salary. She was free to go home and to work at her job during breaks.

In a way this book is a testament to the stress imposed on an ordinary, upbeat juror, because Ms Thornton began keeping a journal to deal with her own pressures. Yet she comes through as a cozy female figure. I was surprised to realize she's only thirty-six as her attitudes suggested someone in their forties or even fifties.

What comes through is that Ms Thornton admired Leslie Abramson (who's well worth admiring!) and was swayed by evidence of the brothers' abuse. Her description of the male comments are disheartening and I'm impressed with her ability to keep perspective.

Wrightsman's comments, as a legal psychologist, add depth and context to Thornton's account. However, like most researchers, he focuses on juries as instruments in the justice system. We still need research on the jury experience itself. For instance, everyone gets concerned about bias -- but a juror's reasoning process can be altered by mood and social environment. And we could use some research on what jury service does to a juror's life.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay, March 9, 2002

By 

"wheellnhn" (california) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror (Paperback)

Its good in the form of detail, but the opinion of the author comes through too much. She dwells to much on her own life during the trial and the other jury members, then the trial itself. If you enjoy learning about criminal law, its a must. If looking for a book on the Menendez case and trial, read 'Blood Brothers'.