Examines discourse strategies in courtroom closing statements to shape juror perceptions in criminal trials, indicating the importance of narrative time.
Key Points
The study aims to explore how temporal organization influences narrative closure and jury deliberation in courtroom closing statements.
Analyzed closing statements from two criminal trials involving Grant and Amanda Hayes charged with murder.
Applied Ricœur’s theory of narrative time, focusing on episodic sequencing, emplotment, and configuration.
Examined how prosecution and defense utilize narrative time to shape juror perceptions of agency and culpability.
The prosecution employed a chronological narrative to reinforce claims of premeditation.
The defense disrupted chronological order to create uncertainty and present alternative interpretations.
Temporal organisation was shown to significantly impact juror reasoning and decision-making.