Fake Glasses Are All The Rage During Lawsuits
The next time your in court and you see a defendant wearing a pair of what appear to be prescription glasses you might want to take a second look. The newest fad in court room “perception” involves defendants wearing thick-framed non-prescription “hipster” glasses.
Apparently lawyers are telling their clients to wear the frames because it gives them a more liked persona with jurors.
One jury consultant tells the Washington Post:
“If you’re wearing glasses, you don’t look like what people might expect a criminal to look like.”
A lawyer adds:
“Sometimes I want my clients to wear them to appear more studious.”
Trial lawyers in the meantime are smartening up to the practice and have begun asking defendants if they typically wear glasses or have chosen to wear them for jury benefits.
One prosecutor went so far as to ask a witness if he’d ever seen his friend wearing glasses.
It turns out the practice of wearing certain types of glasses could be a positive for defendants. Researchers recently discovered that African-American defendants who wear glasses are seen as more honest and more intelligent. White defendants didn’t receive the same type of benefits.