A hung jury is defined as a jury that cannot reach a unanimous conclusion on the guilt of the defendant and is therefore unable to render a court verdict. Traditionally, cases involving major crimes, such as felonies or capital cases, require a unanimous decision, meaning that all 12 jurors had to agree on the verdict in order for it to be valid.
A jury must reach a unanimous consensus of voting “guilty” or “not guilty,” but in a few states, such as Oregon and Louisiana, courts permit 11-1 or 10-2 majorities in order to make a conviction for certain felonies. Florida, however, requires unanimity in its court verdicts.
When a jury is declared “hung,” it results in a mistrial, and the case can be retried, according to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
An unfortunate consequence is that if the jury cannot decide on a verdict, the prosecution has a second chance to pursue a criminal case against the defendant. A hung jury is also known as a deadlocked jury and is handled in similar but slightly differing ways throughout the country and the rest of the world.
If you or someone you know faces prosecution in the Miami, Florida, area, consider contacting a team of criminal defense attorneys who will defend your rights throughout the criminal court process.
Contact a Team of Criminal Defense Attorneys
If you have been arrested as a suspect involved in the commission of a crime against Floridalaws, you should contact a lawyer from a dedicated team of criminal defense attorneys immediately. The sooner that a lawyer becomes involved on your behalf, the more likely it is that your lawyer may be able to get your charges reduced, sentence suspended, or in certain instances, have your case dropped altogether. Consult a Miami attorney about your case today.