Over the past few years, we have received many complaints from New Yorkers regarding a video that all prospective jurors have to watch. The video contains a reenactment of a medieval “trial by ordeal” that reflects very badly on Catholicism.
William Donohue wrote a letter of complaint to Judge Judith Kaye, chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals. He questioned the propriety of showing a video that is biased against the Church in a forum that is supposed to prepare jurors to be objective in their judgments. Donohue said, “If this were a video slated for use in a college class on the Sociology of Law, I would not object. But given that its purpose is to sensitize prospective jurors, it can surely send the wrong message.”
Judge Kaye agreed. The scene in question has been removed from the video.
