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Lamplighter · 01-13-2011, 05:47 PM

Yesterday I learned a man was just found guilty of a sexual offense against a young boy.
Sentencing will be in a couple of weeks, and he faces several years in prison.

He is well known and had a good reputation for his civic services
The particular event took place more than 10 years ago
His arrest and trial were widely publicized throughout the area
No other complaints have came forward from other children or adults

My surprise was the the jury verdict was 11 to 1.

Is not that one jury-person's "NO" vote a de facto statement that
the prosecution did not prove guilt conclusively, and there is still
reasonable doubt ?

Thinking beyond this man's case...
I did not know that when a person's liberty is at risk,
a guilty verdict could be brought even if the jury is not unanimous.
Is it a simple majority (7-5), a super-majority (8-4), or some other magic number ?

01-13-2011, 05:47 PM	#18
Lamplighter Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bottom lands of the Missoula floods Posts: 6,402	guilty within reason doubt ? Yesterday I learned a man was just found guilty of a sexual offense against a young boy. Sentencing will be in a couple of weeks, and he faces several years in prison. He is well known and had a good reputation for his civic services The particular event took place more than 10 years ago His arrest and trial were widely publicized throughout the area No other complaints have came forward from other children or adults My surprise was the the jury verdict was 11 to 1. Is not that one jury-person's "NO" vote a de facto statement that the prosecution did not prove guilt conclusively, and there is still reasonable doubt ? Thinking beyond this man's case... I did not know that when a person's liberty is at risk, a guilty verdict could be brought even if the jury is not unanimous. Is it a simple majority (7-5), a super-majority (8-4), or some other magic number ?