Can the jury request evidence?

Can the jury request evidence?

In California, the grand jury may require the prosecutor to present exculpatory evidence when it has reason to believe that such evidence exists. But even if the grand jury does not vote in favor of an indictment, there still remains the possibility of criminal prosecution.

Can a jury ignore evidence?

The short answer is ‘yes’ but they are strongly discouraged from even considering it. Juries are typically instructed by the judge to determine the veracity and significance of the evidence, apply that evidence to the law, and reach a verdict without allowing sympathy to compromise their evaluation.

Who decides what evidence can be presented in a case?

In a trial, the judge — the impartial person in charge of the trial — decides what evidence can be shown to the jury.

What are the rights of a jury?

Sitting on a Jury: Your obligations An accused person has the right to a fair trial, so jurors must pay full attention to the trial proceedings. All jury discussions must occur in the jury room and only when all jurors are present. • Do not discuss the case with any other people.

Do jury decisions have to be unanimous?

The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure state, “The verdict must be unanimous. . . . If the jury cannot agree on a verdict on one or more counts, the court may declare a mistrial on those counts. A hung jury does not imply either the defendant’s guilt or innocence.

Can jurors disregard direct evidence?

Extant research is inconclusive; some research indicates that jurors do follow judicial instructions to ignore inadmissible evidence, but other research suggests that jurors do not. In Experiment 1, post deliberation jurors disregarded incriminating evidence that was ruled inadmissible because of due-process concerns.

Can the jury go against the law?

In the United States, it is illegal for a judge to direct a jury that it must deliver a guilty verdict, jurors cannot be punished for their verdicts whatever their reasons may be, and a jury’s verdict of not guilty cannot be overturned.

How does a jury reach its decision?

All jurors must reach a unanimous verdict of either guilty or not guilty. If the jury deadlocks and cannot reach a unanimous decision, this results in a “hung jury” and a mistrial. The entire trial will have to be done again, including selecting a new jury.

What evidence can be used in court?

The four types of evidence recognized by the courts include demonstrative, real, testimonial and documentary.

What happens if there is no jury in a criminal case?

After all the evidence has been presented and the judge has explained the law related to the case to a jury, the jurors decide the facts in the case and render a verdict. If there is no jury, the judge makes a decision on the case.

What happens in a trial with a judge and a jury?

In a trial with a Judge and a jury, each have very different parts to play. The jury listen to the evidence and decide who or what to believe. They decide what the facts of the case are. They are the only ones who can decide whether the accused is guilty or not guilty.

Can a lawyer object to evidence in a jury trial?

If you have ever served on a jury or watched trials on television, you have seen lawyers object to evidence that the jury was not allowed to see. It raises the question in the jury’s mind of “why they are keeping information from us if the trial is about truth and justice”.

Why is jury duty important in a criminal case?

While jury duty may be a burden and feel like wasted time, the role of juror is important. They decide the future of the defendant on trial. A juror must hear the evidence presented during trial, consider all the evidence, and decide if the defendant is guilty of the charged crimes.