Legal Definitions - hung jury

A hung jury is a situation where the members of a jury cannot agree on a verdict. This means that they are unable to reach a decision by the required voting margin. When this happens, the case may be retried with a new jury.

For example, if a jury is split 6-6 on a verdict, it is considered a hung jury. In this case, the judge may ask the jury to continue deliberating, but if they are still unable to reach a verdict, a mistrial may be declared.

A hung jury can have an impact on both the defendant and the prosecution. For the defendant, it may mean that they have not been found guilty, but it also means that the case could be retried, leading to additional stress and cost. For the prosecution, a hung jury means that they have failed to secure a conviction, which can be a blow to their case and reputation.

When a hung jury occurs, it is up to the prosecution to decide if they want to retry the case or drop the charges. It's important to note that double jeopardy, the principle that prohibits trying a person twice for the same crime, does not apply in cases where a mistrial is declared due to a hung jury.

In a high-profile murder trial, the jury was unable to reach a verdict after several days of deliberation. The judge declared a mistrial due to a hung jury, and the prosecution had to decide whether to retry the case or drop the charges.

In another case, a jury was split 11-1 on a verdict, with one juror holding out. Despite the judge's instructions to continue deliberating, the jury was still unable to reach a unanimous decision, and a mistrial was declared.

These examples illustrate how a hung jury can occur when the members of a jury are unable to agree on a verdict, leading to a mistrial and the possibility of a retrial.