Hung Jury

The Hung Jury was a lesbian bar in DC that you entered through an alley. I was only ever there a couple of times, and I was invariably already hammered by the time I had the guts to try and make it in. It wasn't my kind of place because it was more of a dance hall. I was more into drinking bars and live shows. For the socially awkward who lack skills on the wooden slats, a dance hall is no fun trip.

More recently, I served on a hung jury. There were four defendants, two boys and two girls, charged with ten offenses including sexual assault, child sexual assault, and menacing. The four defendants were 10, 12, and 14 years-old. The victim is 6. Her involved brother is 9. The defendants are the cousins to the victim staying in the house as guests.

We found both of the girls not guilty as either actors or complicitors on the counts of sexual abuse and child sexual abuse. We also found the 10 year-old boy not guilty of menacing.

On the other five counts which charged sexual abuse and child sexual abuse and another count of child sexual abuse against the two male defendants aged 14 and 10, we were a hung jury. It is a surprisingly disappointing process to be a part of. It is deeply unsatisfying to go through four and a half days of trial only to be unable to reach a decision due to the obstinance of a single juror (who in my opinion failed to properly use the required legal definition of "reasonable doubt" as was instructed and who I suspect misrepresented his background during the early questionnaire/voir dire process in a way that later proved relevant and detrimental to the deliberations).

I had a chance to share my thoughts with the attorneys for the DA's office afterwards. I get the impression that the are likely to re-try the two male defendants. That will likely be up to the father of the victims as it may depend on his willingness to again bring them to court for testimony and cross-examination.

She's six.

I hope they retry the two boys. I thought they were guilty.

Jonathan 3/20/2007 10:17:00 PM