Effects of defendant and complainant alcohol consumption and type of rape on mock juror decisions after group deliberation

The current study was based on Brown and Jacquin’s (2010) study of juror bias in rape trials, except that group deliberation was utilized in examining mock juror verdicts. Specifically, this study examined the influence of type of rape (stranger or acquaintance), complainant alcohol consumption, and defendant alcohol consumption on the opinions of mock jurors (N = 224). Type of rape and defendant alcohol consumption did not impact mock juror responsibility attributions or guilt ratings before or after group deliberation. However, complainant alcohol consumption significantly impacted mock juror opinions before and after group deliberation. Complainants who were intoxicated at the time of the alleged rape were viewed as more responsible for the rape. Defendants were viewed as more responsible when the complainant was sober at the time of the alleged rape. The results indicate a need for jurors and the courts to be aware of juror biases about female alcohol consumption