• treefrog@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    10 months ago

    It has to be unanimous. A split decision is not an acquittal anymore than it’s a conviction.

    • Nahvi@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      11
      ·
      10 months ago

      That makes sense, but the 5th amendment doesn’t mention conviction or acquittal.

      Seems plain and clear that a retrial is being put in jeopardy a second time. Even my former justification of jury tampering doesn’t seem to hold up to that measure.

      • treefrog@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        10 months ago

        He can appeal based on these grounds.

        Rather or not he wins would depend on how reasonable it was for the judge to declare the first mistrial.

        Anyway, a mistrial does not apply to the fifth amendment. It’s not double jeopardy if the first trial is declared void.

        In other words, a mistrial is not a trial. It’s a dud and everyone is allowed to start again.