Thirteen Angry Men: Mistrial Declared After Texas Man Convicted by Vote of 13-0
jonathanturley
Now, coming from Chicago, I find nothing curious about this story. However, District Judge Mark Kent Ellis was a bit concerned when a jury returned a conviction against Charles Mapps in only 45 minutes by a vote of 13 jurors. Some would say that would make him really really guilty, but there is a small problem of being a violation of the state constitution.
Mapps was super-convicted of shooting his girlfriend. But the judge found that a thirteenth juror would qualify as an outside influence. The judge said that a substitute bailiff fouled up by letting an alternative in the room and that he has been barred from further work in the courtroom.
