Media attention and public scrutiny after conviction can hurt your personal and professional reputation, especially if your criminal case is high-profile. One of the questions you may ask is: How do I handle media attention and public scrutiny after conviction in Minnesota? You can do that by familiarizing yourself with your rights, having a witness present during a media interview, minimizing media consumption, and taking a break from social media. Building a strong support system and working closely with a criminal defense lawyer can help you handle or minimize the impact of public scrutiny.
Securing your reputation after sentencing and blocking post-case scrutiny by the public requires the involvement of a seasoned criminal defense attorney. That is why you should work with the experienced defense team at Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys for dedicated assistance before and after conviction. Our lawyers can also help you with criminal record sealing to safeguard your reputation and expand post-conviction employment options.
Call us at (952) 913-1421, and let our attorneys help you get around the media and scrutiny after conviction.
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How the Media Can Impact Your Personal and Professional Reputation
Media coverage of your conviction can wreak havoc on your reputation. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS), through the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), provides public access to criminal records and court documents. Press agencies and journalists have the legal freedom to request access to your case details and conviction. If you’re convicted in a high-profile case, media reports may include images of you leaving the court building. Such actions by the media are humiliating and harmful to your reputation.
Impact on Personal Life and Reputation
Negative news often gets “front page” coverage, and positive news gets relegated to the back pages. A report on the conviction of a person of high stature is highly profitable to news agencies and journalists. They will publish intimate details about your private life. That opens up other loopholes for discovering and printing other personally identifiable information, such as your name, date of birth, gender, occupation, place of work, area of residence, religion, and citizenship status.
Because media publishing makes your criminal record open for the public to see, it can have legal consequences and diminish your ability to enjoy other rights and privileges, such as:
- Child Custody
- Adopting children
- Driving privileges
- Admission to higher learning institutions
- Access to rental housing or leasing
The public disclosure of your sentencing outcome also affects the reputation of other people closely associated with you. These reports may also reveal personal information about your family members and friends and their association with you. For example, the reports may identify your associates and relatives, causing them undue embarrassment or placing them at risk of unwanted media attention and public scrutiny.
Impact on Professional Reputation
Once the media publishes the news about your conviction, the word reaches the masses quickly, including your employer, colleagues, and business associates. That can send your professional life and career in a downward spiral.
While Minnesota’s Ban-the-Box law prohibits private employers from asking job applicants questions about their criminal histories, other state laws allow them to dig up employees’ criminal records after hiring. In fact, an employer can, without violating the law, inform employees that they risk disqualification from certain employment and career advancement opportunities due to their record.
Strategies for Addressing Media Inquiries and Public Scrutiny
News agencies and reporters may be interested in covering your conviction to the extent that they approach you directly to get your views on the case outcome. It’s crucial to be strategic when dealing with the media and the increased public scrutiny. The following strategies can help you deal with media questions after convictions:
Know Your Rights
While the judge may order that you are entitled to anonymity after sentencing, the press and journalists can still approach you with questions regarding your sentencing and thoughts about the outcome. The media shouldn’t bully you into a conversation because you have the right to choose whether to grant them an interview. If you don’t wish to talk to the press, simply say, “No comments.”
Several reasons may compel you to decline to answer questions from the media. They include the need to:
- Maintain your right to privacy
- Mitigate the impact speaking to the media would have on future prosecutions
- Avoid enduring the trauma that comes with retelling your case
- Deny the media material or comments that they may use against your will
Ensure a Witness Is Present During the Interview
If you agree to speak to a news reporter, you have the right to choose who you want present during the interview. It’s advisable to have a friend or relative present to act as a witness. Most reporters want to record interviews. If they request that, ask them for a copy of the recording or a full transcript in writing as a prerequisite for doing the interview.
Reduce Media Consumption
Media reports of your arrest, trial, and conviction can be overwhelming. Journalists and news outlets publish all sorts of reports and opinions about your case through wide-ranging media channels. Sometimes, you might be convicted for deciding not to contend the case. Still, the media – without understanding the difference between no contest vs. guilty – goes ahead to print false information to stir up public opinion.
All the noise going on about your sentencing outcome can impact your mental health. The best way to avoid the mental harm caused by external opinions is to avoid news reports. Distancing yourself from media reports prevents you from getting fixated on what people think and say about you. That frees you to focus on navigating your new reality and completing your rehabilitation.
Keep Off Social Media
Your social media may be admissible evidence, and that’s why you should take a break from social media when going through the criminal justice system. You can inadvertently incriminate yourself by posts that can be used as evidence in court. Remember, feeds and posts on your social profiles are public information and will be seen by many people. If news agencies get hold of that information, they make the reports spread much wider.
One of the dangers of social media is the negative impact it has on mental health. People may post images and comments that send the wrong impressions about others, particularly if you were arrested and convicted. That can make you feel like you have lost public standing since your arrest. The best approach is to avoid social media as much as possible.
Have a Reliable Support System
Falling under immense public scrutiny after conviction can cause emotional pain that impacts your mental health and overall ability to maintain composure. Under such surveillance, it’s easy to develop stress, depression, fear, and anxiety. One of the most effective ways of dealing with public scrutiny is to build a reliable support system. Surrounding yourself with family and friends or a legal professional who can provide emotional support is a practical way to avoid the negative effects of public scrutiny.
A resilient support system also keeps you grounded, reminding you of your values and providing the strength you need to transition back into society. The presence of a loved one or a friend nurtures confidence and resilience in you, allowing you to face public scrutiny with heightened fortitude.
Hire a Lawyer to Expunge Your Criminal Record After Conviction
It’s natural to feel helpless after a conviction, especially when you consider how your criminal record will impact your prospects. Fortunately, Minnesota allows people with prior criminal convictions to seal their records if they satisfy eligibility requirements. The process of sealing your record is called expungement, and it works to protect your reputation and employment opportunities. Once your record is sealed, any individual or entity like an employer, landlord, journalist, school admission department, or media agency needing access will require court approval.
A criminal defense lawyer can help expunge your criminal record to protect your personal and professional image. Your lawyer can offer a professional review of your situation and advise whether you’re eligible for expungement. The lawyer also knows the legal documents required when filing a petition to have your record expunged.
The court will consider the original crime, risks you pose to the public, and time since conviction before granting an expungement. It will also consider your criminal history, reason for requesting an expungement, and recommendation from state or federal agencies.
Partner with one of the defense lawyers at Keller Criminal Defense Attorneys if you’ve been convicted of a crime and need help handling media attention and public scrutiny. Our attorneys are experienced in criminal law and handle every case with a personalized approach. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.
