Judges, juries and modern technology - lighten up, judges!

I disagree with the idea that Internet technology, especially mobile versions, is a disaster for our trial by jury system.

Rather, it's a semi-disaster for judges who try to micromanage juries through narrow sets of instructions, who don't take modern technology into account, and other things.

The juror who used an online dictionary on his smartphone to look up "prudent"? Would the judge have denied him a hardcopy dictionary? Would the defendant, if significantly smarter, claimed this man was not his "peer"? (That's a whole nother can of worms.)

In general, though, I think the problem is with judges more than anything else.

Jurors? For conscientious yet inquisitive ones, it's empowering, enlightening and freeing. Deal with it, antiquated judicial system.