ducks
08-13-2003, 12:22 PM
scoop (http://vaildaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030812/NEWS/308130102)
by Randy Wyrick
A Boulder research firm is quietly working behind the scenes of the very public Kobe Bryant issue, surveying potential jurors in Eagle County.
The Talmey/Drake research firm has been reaching out and touching, via telephone survey, Eagle County residents who could wind up on a jury deciding Kobe Bryant's fate. The Los Angeles Lakers star has been charged with felony sexual assault stemming from a June 30 incident with a 19-year-old Eagle woman at the Lodge at Cordillera. Bryant's next court apparance is a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 9.
"It was obvious from the questions that the survey is seeking to determine the mood of the potential jury pool in Eagle County," said long-time Eagle County resident Cliff Thompson, who said he was surveyed after being awakened from a nap.
District attorney spokeswoman Krista Flannigan said the District Attorney's Office did not ask for the survey. Calls to Kobe Bryant's defense attorney Pamela Mackey about the survey were not returned.
Paul Talmey of Talmey/Drake refused comment on who commissioned the survey and who's paying for it. But it's not a mystery to respondents what the survey aims to uncover.
Some Eagle County residents who have been surveyed said those asking the questions seemed to be trying to extract opinions of Bryant's guilt or innocence with their carefully worded questions.
"They're apparently trying to set the stage for motions to get the trial moved," said Eagle resident Lee Ellis. "Every answer I gave was met with "So you think he's innocent?' or "So you think he's guilty?'"
The questioner says the survey will take about four minutes but at least for one respondent, it took a lot longer.
"Fifteen minutes later, I was still answering questions," said Ellis. "She kept stating that I was insinuating he was innocent. That's not the case. No one knows exactly what went on in that room except the two people who were in there."
The telephone surveys begin innocuously enough, by inquiring whether the person answering the questions is a registered voter and has a valid Colorado driver's license - both criteria potential jurors must meet.
The survey takers asked if respondents can name Colorado's two senators (Ben Nighthorse-Campbell and Wayne Allard, both Republicans) and this area's district attorney, Mark Hurlbert. They also asked how respondents feel about Eagle County's government and how it is running; what newspapers they read; whether they have cable television or listen to the radio; whether they had heard about the Kobe Bryant case and from what newspapers they got their information.
Respondents were asked to rate Eagle County's media coverage for the past few years and then whether they had ever served on a jury, or been called to jury duty.
At the end of the survey, respondents are asked three personal questions.
"I've stayed clear of all this, and now someone is calling me to do a survey about it," said Ellis.
To serve on a jury in Colorado, potential jurors must be a resident of Eagle County; must be over 18 years old; must be a U.S. citizen; must be a registered voter; should be able to speak, read and understand English; have not appeared on a jury in the last 12 months; have no mental or physical disability; and not be the sole person responsible for a disabled person living in the same household.scoop (http://vaildaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030812/NEWS/308130102)
by Randy Wyrick
A Boulder research firm is quietly working behind the scenes of the very public Kobe Bryant issue, surveying potential jurors in Eagle County.
The Talmey/Drake research firm has been reaching out and touching, via telephone survey, Eagle County residents who could wind up on a jury deciding Kobe Bryant's fate. The Los Angeles Lakers star has been charged with felony sexual assault stemming from a June 30 incident with a 19-year-old Eagle woman at the Lodge at Cordillera. Bryant's next court apparance is a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 9.
"It was obvious from the questions that the survey is seeking to determine the mood of the potential jury pool in Eagle County," said long-time Eagle County resident Cliff Thompson, who said he was surveyed after being awakened from a nap.
District attorney spokeswoman Krista Flannigan said the District Attorney's Office did not ask for the survey. Calls to Kobe Bryant's defense attorney Pamela Mackey about the survey were not returned.
Paul Talmey of Talmey/Drake refused comment on who commissioned the survey and who's paying for it. But it's not a mystery to respondents what the survey aims to uncover.
Some Eagle County residents who have been surveyed said those asking the questions seemed to be trying to extract opinions of Bryant's guilt or innocence with their carefully worded questions.
"They're apparently trying to set the stage for motions to get the trial moved," said Eagle resident Lee Ellis. "Every answer I gave was met with "So you think he's innocent?' or "So you think he's guilty?'"
The questioner says the survey will take about four minutes but at least for one respondent, it took a lot longer.
"Fifteen minutes later, I was still answering questions," said Ellis. "She kept stating that I was insinuating he was innocent. That's not the case. No one knows exactly what went on in that room except the two people who were in there."
The telephone surveys begin innocuously enough, by inquiring whether the person answering the questions is a registered voter and has a valid Colorado driver's license - both criteria potential jurors must meet.
The survey takers asked if respondents can name Colorado's two senators (Ben Nighthorse-Campbell and Wayne Allard, both Republicans) and this area's district attorney, Mark Hurlbert. They also asked how respondents feel about Eagle County's government and how it is running; what newspapers they read; whether they have cable television or listen to the radio; whether they had heard about the Kobe Bryant case and from what newspapers they got their information.
Respondents were asked to rate Eagle County's media coverage for the past few years and then whether they had ever served on a jury, or been called to jury duty.
At the end of the survey, respondents are asked three personal questions.
"I've stayed clear of all this, and now someone is calling me to do a survey about it," said Ellis.
To serve on a jury in Colorado, potential jurors must be a resident of Eagle County; must be over 18 years old; must be a U.S. citizen; must be a registered voter; should be able to speak, read and understand English; have not appeared on a jury in the last 12 months; have no mental or physical disability; and not be the sole person responsible for a disabled person living in the same household.scoop (http://vaildaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030812/NEWS/308130102)