Fact check: Yes, the jury must come to a unanimous verdict

AP News ^ | May 29, 2024 | RUTH BROWN

[Red Badger]

As the jury begins its deliberations, claims are spreading across social media that Judge Merchan told the panel they don’t need a unanimous verdict to convict Trump.

That’s false.

To convict Trump, Merchan told the jury they will have to find unanimously — that is, all 12 jurors must agree — that the former president created a fraudulent entry in his company’s records or caused someone else to do so, and that he did so with the intent of committing or concealing another crime.

What’s being distorted by some online is the judge’s instruction about how to reach a verdict about that second element.

Prosecutors say the crime Trump committed or hid is a violation of a New York election law making it illegal for two or more conspirators “to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means.”

Merchan gave the jurors three possible “unlawful means”: falsifying other business records, breaking the Federal Election Campaign Act or submitting false information on a tax return.

For a conviction, each juror would have to find that at least one of those three things happened, but they don’t have to agree unanimously which it was.

[sauropod]

This is at odds with what I understand the “judge’s” instructions actually are.

[1Old Pro]

For a conviction, each juror would have to find that at least one of those three things happened, but they don’t have to agree unanimously which it was.

SO IT'S NOT UNANIMOUS AFTER IT IS UNANIMOUS PRIOR TO BEING SEPARATE.

[workerbee]

Leftist wagons a-circlin’.

[ClearCase_guy]

So, in summary:

1) they have to agree unanimously
and
2) they don’t have to agree unanimously

[CatOwner]

It’s the AP, so expecting facts from them may be asking too much.

[rktman]

Was there some doubt the jury wants to be part of history?

[Col Frank Slade]

Media has the judges back..

[kiryandil]

This is at odds with what I understand the “judge’s” instructions actually are.

Yes, failed English major and DNC Media propagandist Ruth Brownshirt of the Associated Pravda knows more than law professor Jonathan Turley.

[ClearCase_guy]

[JSM_Liberty]

The creation of a fraudulent entry bit needs to be unanimous.

[dfwgator]

"If Chewbacca lives on Endor then you must convict!"

[mware]

Hey AP. Maybe you better check with Jonathan Turley who was there

[kiryandil]

Send out the DNC Media liars...

[Tench_Coxe]

These media types should consider a career in baking. They seem to have a lot of experience making pretzels.

[Red Badger]

E Pluribus Unum..................

[Magnum44]

[napscoordinator]

They are part of history even with an acquittal.

[Red Badger]

[traderrob6]

Good grief, the AP explanation is accurate, what’s missing is the fact that there is absolutely NO accepted precedent for justifying the instruction.