A INFLUÊNCIA MIDIÁTICA NO JÚRI

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of the media on the jury trial process, a topic widely debated due to the extensive reach and the ability of communication channels to shape public perception. As Mirault (2020) points out, the media acts as a “fourth power,” significantly influencing the formation of public opinion. Sensationalist coverage of high-profile crimes can create a climate of pre-conviction, compromising the impartiality of jurors and the observance of the constitutional principles of due process of law and the presumption of innocence. The research investigates how the media, through agenda-setting and framing techniques, constructs narratives that generate cognitive biases and the so-called “illusion of truth” (Almeida et al., 2022), distancing jurors from a strictly technical analysis of the evidence presented. Based on a qualitative approach that examines emblematic cases such as those of Suzane von Richthofen and goalkeeper Bruno, the study seeks to understand the effects of this media influence on justice, weighing freedom of the press against the right to a fair trial. Furthermore, it analyzes the effectiveness of legal instruments, such as the exasperation (Reis Junior; Prado, 2020), in ensuring the impartiality of the jury.