Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
If the police officer has a good lawyer, it will be overturned. And no judge likes to have one of his trials overturned by a higher court. If he failed to give them instructions regarding outside sources, then he is at fault and a reason for overturning. He did not give clear and consice instructions. They should have been advised at the beginning of the trial about outside influnces such at newpapers, etc. It will look better on his files if he declares a mistrial than have a higher court do it. He will be called in front of his boss or your State Supreme Court and asked to explain what happened. That will look bad on his record and will hold him back from future promotions.