Social media scrutiny of Ghomeshi trial could lead to legal reforms: researcher
HALIFAX — A researcher studying public reaction to the Jian Ghomeshi case says social media scrutiny of the trial could lead to “crowd-sourced reforms” for how the legal system handles sexual assault claims.
Mary Rolf, a law student at Dalhousie University, presented her findings in a panel at an international law conference in Halifax Tuesday.
“I think it’s unprecedented,” Rolf told the room. “You don’t usually hear ordinary Canadians commenting on whether they think the justice system is fair.”
Rolf said the high-profile case against the former CBC radio host gave social media spectators a rare glimpse into how the criminal justice system works.