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 Post subject: Our Justice System
PostPosted: Wed Jun 12, 2002 8:57 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 8342
Location: Bethesda, Md.
By Edward Iwata
USA TODAY
If the jury in the Arthur Andersen criminal trial becomes hopelessly deadlocked, prosecutors can ask U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon to deliver the so-called "Allen charge," an instruction to jurors to return to deliberations and reach a verdict.
Lawyers call it the "dynamite charge" because it often shakes up stalemated jurors into finding a defendant guilty or not guilty, rather than acquitting.<p>***The Allen charge often confuses jurors, not to mention reporters.***


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 Post subject: Re: Our Justice System
PostPosted: Wed Jun 12, 2002 9:47 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 138
Location: Washington, D.C.
A better name would be the Wink-Wink Charge, as in "Remember that oath you took, and all that stuff we told you about 'reasonable doubt'? Well, that's really important and all (wink-wink), but it would REALLY be nice if you guys all voted alike (wink-wink)."


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 Post subject: Re: Our Justice System
PostPosted: Wed Jun 12, 2002 10:07 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 151
Location: Gautier, Miss.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
By Edward Iwata
USA TODAY
If the jury in the Arthur Andersen criminal trial becomes hopelessly deadlocked, prosecutors can ask U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon to deliver the so-called "Allen charge," an instruction to jurors to return to deliberations and reach a verdict.
Lawyers call it the "dynamite charge" because it often shakes up stalemated jurors into finding a defendant guilty or not guilty, rather than acquitting.<p>***The Allen charge often confuses jurors, not to mention reporters.***
<hr></blockquote><p>***The "guilty or not guilty, rather than acquitting" part had me so bamboozled, I almost didn't notice "hopelessly deadlocked," as if there is another kind of deadlock. And "so-called" is also unnecessary.***


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