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Non-unanimous jury verdicts

An illustration shows a Black man in a white T-shirt with his arms around an older Black woman in a polka-dotted shirt and an older Black man in a newsboy cap and black T-shirt. The left side of the illustration shows a freeway, with trees at the edge of the road.
Life Inside May 12
My Brother Was Wrongfully Convicted for Murder. 20 Years Later, So Was My Son.
Although it was a coincidence, I knew it wasn’t a mistake. What Louisiana was doing to men like my brother Elvis and my son Cedric was intentional.
By Earline Brooks Colbert, as told to
A woman enters a tan bricked building, with the signage "justice building" above the door.
Closing Argument January 7
How Two States Differ on the Injustice of Non-Unanimous Juries
Oregon and Louisiana eliminated the practice, which had white supremacist roots. But they differ on whether to retroactively overturn those convictions.
By
A photo illustration shows a photo of Reginald Reddick in the center, with a black and white photo of a jury to the left, and a sign saying "Criminal Court" on the right. At the top right there is a jury slip that says "Is this your verdict?" with a checkmark next to "No."
News May 10, 2022
Their Sentences Are Unconstitutional — But They’re Still In Prison.
Louisiana’s high court considers the fate of more than 1,000 people serving sentences handed down by “Jim Crow juries.”
By
Voters in Hialeah, Florida, outside Miami cast their ballots on Nov. 6.
Commentary November 13, 2018
Voters Want Criminal Justice Reform. Are Politicians Listening?
Midterms show wide support across party lines for changing the system.
Daniel Gotoff and Celinda Lake
On Tuesday, Florida voters approved Amendment 4, which restored the voting rights of people with past felony convictions.
Commentary November 7, 2018
Florida’s Election Shows the True Promise of Restoring Voting Rights
With the passage of Amendment 4, more than a million people intimately affected by the criminal justice system have become more empowered to shape it.
Jennifer Rae Taylor
Life Inside February 22, 2018
I Sent an Innocent Man to Prison
A juror’s regret.
By D'shean Kennedy as told to
Louisiana and Oregon are the only states that permit criminal convictions in felony cases with non-unanimous juries.
Case in Point September 25, 2017
A Vestige of Bigotry
The Supreme Court and non-unanimous juries.
By
Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala.
Commentary December 20, 2016
Waiting for a Reprieve That Never Comes
For defenders, the frantic paperwork ends, and so does a client’s life.
Leah A. Nelson
The lethal injection chamber at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala., in 2002.
Feature December 7, 2016
In Alabama, You Can Be Sentenced to Death Even if Jurors Don’t Agree
Judges have uniquely uncommon power in the state.
By Kent Faulk
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