We cannot know your jury make-up in advance, and while we want to think the jury will have several who will be stoppers, people do strange things when they are in the minority on a jury and they're getting outvoted. Especially if the case has racial overtones and half of the jurors are black.
Some jurors are weak and easily cave in. Some want to be liked. Some don't want to be thought racist by the black jury members or the community.
There is not one good reason to keep the case in Durham if you can move it. The defense needs the case moved, so that all the Durham politics that are hurting them will be neutralized. Moving the case to another venue is a no-brainer.
You are correct. In many ways, if the jury were to be pulled from the Durham jury pool, it may be better for them to have an all black jury. It would remove any racial tensions that might exist in the jury room, and make it easier for a dissenter to express his/her views and sway opinion with reason.
Or - They could end up spending the most productive years of their lives in prison.
I agree. My point was simply that imo it is more likely that a hung jury would occur, than a guilty verdict ...even with a Durham jury.