LA JURY LAW: Louisiana is one of just 2 states in the U.S. where felony jury trials don’t require a unanimous verdict. But Democrat Senator J.P. Morell of District 3 in New Orleans has introduced a bill to change that. He wants voters to decide whether the state should require unanimous verdicts for felony cases. Before a committee hearing in Baton Rouge, Morrell stated "In a state of Louisiana or Oregon, if 10 of those 12 jurors convict you...you are in fact guilty." Before the Civil War, unanimous verdicts were the law of the land in Louisiana.However in the years that followed during Reconstruction, racial tensions prompted the Louisiana legislature to change that. Ed Tarpley, former district attorney in Grant parish explains. "..to basically ensure that the white ruling class, if you will, for want of a better
term wanted to exercise control over the newly freed slaves." Senator Morrell feels non-unanimous jury verdicts are questionable from a constitutional point-of-view. However Pete Adams, executive director for the Louisiana District Attorney's Association doesn't feel that's the case and the group he represents opposes the change. "Getting 80% of the people in any group -10 out of 12- to agree on any topic, is a phenomenal task." But Senator Morrell feels that's exactly the point. He says "If you cannot get 12 jurors to agree to deprive someone of their liberty, that should be the burden, that should be the law." Senator Morrell’s bill passed committee last Tuesday. If it clears the legislature, it could wind up on the ballot for Louisiana voters in November.
