A Tampa, Fla.-based public relations firm is offering to represent jurors from the Casey Anthony trial who want to speak to the media.
Is this a bid for publicity from the PR firm? Perhaps. Are the jurors prepared to deal with the media? Definitely not.
In a July 8 release, Glenn Selig, founder of The Publicity Agency, said the firm doesn’t seek any profit, but only wants to help the jurors who want to tell their stories. “Given the public backlash, members of the jury must be scared or worried about speaking,” said Selig in the statement. “They may want to speak out but likely feel overwhelmed given the level of media attention...These jurors did their jobs and deserve to have someone on their side and not interested in exploiting them.” Selig believes insights from the jurors could go a long way toward helping the public understand what happened during the trial.
Andrew Gilman, president and CEO of CommCore Consulting Group, said helping jurors tell their story after a trial isn't something all agencies will do, but there's no law against it.
As a PR pro and trained lawyer, Gilman also pointed out that no one gets upset when lawyers represent clients, yet many scoff when PR gets involved. “Even those who commit the worst crimes are entitled to representation. In this case, if a juror prefers to talk rather than not say anything at all, why shouldn’t they have some representation to guide them through tough interviews?”
Gilman said that in controversial cases like these, PR is called "spin," and legal representation is called "advocacy." “I know lots of lawyers that will represent clients pro bono because they believe [in them] and/or because it gives them publicity, and this isn't much different," Gilman said.