What is the longest jury deliberation in history and how long did it take?

What is the longest jury deliberation in history and how long did it take?

According to the Oxford dictionary, a jury is a body of people (typically twelve in number) sworn to give a verdict in a legal case based on evidence submitted to them in court. Depending on the case, jury deliberations can take between a few minutes to a few weeks. Since there is no time limit set on considerations, there have been some pretty long deliberations in history. So what is the longest jury deliberation in history?

New feature: Check out news exactly for YOU ➡️ find “Recommended for you” block and enjoy!

longest jury deliberation
Judge’s traditional wooden gavel on white background & shadow detail. Photo: Catherine McQueen
Source: Getty Images

It is important to note that a jury is not required for every legal procedure. There are two types of judicial proceedings that use juries. They include criminal trials, where an individual is accused of committing a crime against society. The other type is a civil trial, where litigants seek remedied for private wrongs without a broader impact.

Read also

Belgium's biggest trial opens, six years after worst bombing

What is the longest jury deliberation in history?

There have been many cases in history that have taken the jury a long time to deliberate. The longest one took place in 2003 and lasted for 55 days. The jurors in Oakland, California, were asked to determine the fate of three police officers accused of assaulting and falsely arresting residents.

Another notable case occurred in 1987, and jurors deliberated for thirty days before giving their final verdict. Unfortunately, the time ended without a verdict in the dioxin contamination case.

PAY ATTENTION: Enjoy reading our stories? Join YEN.com.gh's Telegram channel for more!

How long did the OJ jury deliberate?

During the high-profile OJ Simpson case that was broadcast on television, many expected the jury deliberations to last long. But, shockingly, the panel only took four hours, including a lunch break, before they decided that OJ Simpson was not guilty of the murders.

Read also

UN rights council credibility at stake over China, Russia response

What is the longest jury deliberation in the UK?

The United Kingdom has also had its fair share of long jury deliberations. The longest one was a 20-month trial that left its jurors traumatized. The group, identified as Julie, Anne-Marie, Paul and Emma, have spoken out about the impact of sitting a 20-month trial.

How long are jury deliberations?

longest jury deliberation
1970s courtroom scene. Photo: H. Armstrong Roberts
Source: Getty Images

Is there an average jury deliberation time? There is no time set for jury considerations. Once testimony is concluded, the tribunal is given a charge. Then, the jurors go behind closed doors, where they deliberate secretly until they reach a unanimous decision. This could take any number of days in this modern setting.

It is safe to assume that you may decide the length of deliberation based on the number of defendants and counts or charges. However, the time frame of any such meditation remains a guess.

Are long jury deliberations good or bad?

Read also

'A different Sweden': Gang shootings loom large in vote

The length of the discussion is not necessarily a good or bad thing for either side. There have been cases where one was acquitted after a long meditation and others where convictions were made. Due to this, trying to predict how long one will take ahead of time is futile.

What is the longest jury deliberation in history? The longest jury deliberation took 55 days to determine whether or not the accused was guilty.

What is the longest movie ever made? Yen.com.gh recently published a list of ten of the longest films in history.

The longest movie ever made may not be your favourite because of the graphics and other elements, but it is worth watching if you are exploratory, or like trying new things.

Subscribe to watch new videos

New feature: Check out news exactly for YOU ➡️ find "Recommended for you" block and enjoy!

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Ann Steffie avatar

Ann Steffie Ann Steffie is a content creator with 2+ years of working experience in the industry. She graduated from the Technical University of Kenya with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Technology. She lives in Nairobi, Kenya and spends her free time pursuing her interests which include web development, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Email: madigoann@gmail.com