Reps. Thomas and Synenberg Provide Sponsor Testimony on House Bill 478

State Representatives David Thomas (R-Jefferson) and Eric Synenberg (D-Beachwood) provided sponsor testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on House Bill 478, the Jury Tampering Prevention Act, legislation aimed at penalizing jury tampering for criminal proceedings in Ohio.

House Bill 478 was introduced in response to an incident in Ashtabula County, where a juror received a threatening message via social media during an active criminal trial. The message, sent by someone who knew the defendant, attempted to influence the juror’s vote and nearly resulted in a mistrial. While Ohio law currently criminalizes the bribery of jurors, it lacks clear statutory language addressing intimidation or other forms of jury tampering.

“Our judges identified a serious gap in Ohio law,” said Rep. Thomas. “Jurors must be able to serve without fear, coercion, or interference. HB 478 gives prosecutors the tools they need to respond when jurors are threatened or improperly influenced.”

Developed in collaboration with Ashtabula County judges and other proponents, H.B. 478 expands Ohio statute by defining juror and establishes clear penalties for a jury tampering offense in criminal cases. The bill creates two tiers of offense:

• A first-degree misdemeanor for knowingly attempting to influence, intimidate, or hinder a juror; and
• A third-degree felony when such conduct involves force or the threat of harm.

“Jury duty is a shared civic responsibility, and those who are called to serve deserve to do so without fear, intimidation, or interference,” said Representative Synenberg in his testimony. “By passing and signing this legislation into law, we aim to better protect jurors from threats or harm so they can carry out their duties safely, fairly, and without undue influence.”

H.B. 478 is modeled in part on existing Pennsylvania law and is designed to align with current Ohio criminal statutes. The legislation has received strong support from interested parties who see this as a necessary step to protect jurors and uphold due process.

The bill awaits further consideration in the House Judiciary Committee.