ODU Offers Sniper Trial Experts

Below is a listing of Old Dominion University experts who were available for comment during the trials of sniper suspects Lee Boyd Malvo and John Allen Muhammad. All of the experts can be reached through the Office of University Relations, (757) 683-3114, or at the numbers and e-mail addresses listed below their names. Two psychologists from the College of Sciences are included below:

Jury Selection And Behavior

As Chesapeake and Virginia Beach residents anxiously await jury summons in their mailboxes, Malvo defense attorneys maintain it will be impossible to find an impartial jury anywhere in Virginia. "In the end can they select a jury that is fair?" asked Donald H. Smith, associate professor of sociology at Old Dominion University and an expert on juries, jury behavior and courtroom processes. "I think yes. But the voir dire process in Virginia is so narrow and controlled I think selecting a fair jury can be problematic in cases that get this much publicity."

Author of "Pretrial Publicity and the Source Credibility: A Reiteration of the Sleeper Effect," Smith has interviewed over 5,000 jurors and observed and evaluated judges for 20 years. He has served as an expert witness to the Virginia Circuit Courts on jury selection and change of venue and has given lectures to the Virginia Beach Commonwealth Attorney's staff on jury behavior. He teaches courses on the American jury and the courtroom as a social system at Old Dominion and is completing a book based on his courses. You can reach Smith in the office, (757) 683-3815, at home, (757) 489-7764, or by e-mail, dhsmith@odu.edu.

Capital Punishment

Lucien Lombardo is a nationally known expert on criminal justice issues. He is chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Old Dominion University and was a guest on C-SPAN during their retracing of the 19th-Century American trek of Alexis de Toqueville.

Lombardo was a full-time teacher at a state prison in New York from 1969-77 before coming to ODU. He was co-editor of "Prison Violence in America" and has written two editions of an award winning book, "Guards Imprisoned: Correctional Officers at Work," which explore the experiences of prison officers and based on more than 300 hours of interview with security staff.

Lombardo has expertise in crime, society and the media; capital punishment; probation, pardons and parole; juvenile delinquency; corrections officer issues; the criminal justice system in American society; and understanding violence. You can reach Lombardo in the office, (757) 683-3800, or via e-mail, llombard@odu.edu.

The Criminal Mind

Jack S. Grimes Jr., an adjunct faculty member teaching family therapy classes in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling at Old Dominion University, has worked in the mental health field for more than 29 years. He has worked with children, adolescents, adults and families, mostly within the judicial system. He is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 25 years experience in residential treatment. You can reach Grimes through the Office of University Relations, (757) 683-3114.

Crime As A Media/Popular Culture Event

Gary R. Edgerton is professor and chair of the Communication and Theatre Arts Department at Old Dominion University. He has published five books and more than fifty essays on a variety of film, television, and culture topics in a wide assortment of books and scholarly journals. He is currently co-editor of the Journal of Popular Film & Television, topical editor for popular and critical studies for Communication Booknotes Quarterly, and is an editorial board member of seven other scholarly journals. You can reach Edgerton in the office, (757) 683-3831, at home, (757) 460-8473, or via e-mail, gedgerto@odu.edu

Offender Profiling / Criminal Procedure

So what makes these suspects tick? James Oleson, assistant professor of sociology at Old Dominion University, has studied offender profiling and can discuss various types of criminal personalities. A legal expert, Oleson also can discuss criminal/court procedure. He has also researched hate-crime legislation and penalty enhancement for those crimes. You can reach Oleson in the office, (757) 683-3813, or via e-mail, joleson@odu.edu.

Hate Crimes

Malvo: Cold-blooded Killer Or Vulnerable Teen?

Was Lee Boyd Malvo "under the spell" of John Allen Mohammad as defense attorneys have speculated? "Adolescence is a very vulnerable time and adolescents are often impressionable and influenced easily," said Old Dominion University Psychology Professor Michelle Kelley.

Author of "Children's Moral Understanding: Developmental and Social-Contextual Determinants" which was published in the book Children's Development within Social Contexts, has conducted research on children's development and parenting for 20 years focusing on low income, immigrant and African-American families. She has published articles in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Child Development and the International Journal of Behavioral Development.

You can reach Kelley in the office at (757) 683-4459 or by e-mail at mkelley@odu.edu.

The Trials Of Traffic

While more cars on already well-traveled roads will bring congestion during the trials, the greatest danger on the road is driver behavior, said Bryan E. Porter, associate professor of psychology at Old Dominion University.

According to an AAA poll, nationwide, 91 percent of drivers reported engaging in at least one risky driving behavior within the last six months. To help prevent crashes, Porter conducts research and programs to increase safety belt use, reduce red-light running and reduce tailgating.

"What all drivers have to realize," he said, "is that it's in everyone's best interest to abide by the law even if it doesn't fit with individual time-tables. Congestion isn't the primary frustration for drivers. It's discourtesy." You can reach Porter in the office at (757) 683-4458, at home at (757) 623-5799, or by e-mail at bporter@odu.edu.

The Economic Effect

Despite the projected influx of reporters, camera crews and curiosity seekers, the economic effect of the sniper trials to the Hampton Roads region will not be that large, notes James V. Koch, professor of economics at Old Dominion University. "The gains will be highly targeted," he adds. "For instance, hotel owners and restaurants near the courthouses may see a difference, but the regional gross rate will not be affected significantly." You can reach Koch through the Old Dominion Office of University Relations at (757) 683-3114.

Other Stories in the Faculty section...
Math Professor's Book Explains Wonder of Nature through Modeling .
Nine Nominated for VA Outstanding Faculty Awards .
Professional Achievements .
ODU Physics Department boasts six American Physical Soceity Fellows.