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Unanimous Jury Bill Heads To LA House For Debate

Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News

UNANIMOUS JURY BILL:  A bill to allow Louisiana voters to decide whether juries in felony cases must return unanimous verdicts — as they do in 48 other states — is gaining support as yesterday  the House Criminal Justice committee debated and approved the measure by Sen. JP Morrell – Democrat from New Orleans. 

He said "The non-unanimous jury was part of a process in our official journal,where it was said 'the mission of this convention was to establish the supremacy of the white race in the state."

Credit Courtesy: La. House of Representatives
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Courtesy: La. House of Representatives
Sen. J.P. Morrell (D-New Orleans)

  Morrell,  was referencing the 1898 Louisiana constitutional convention. Louisiana and Oregon are the only two states that allow verdicts by split juries. Both state require only 10 of 12 jurors agree before rendering a verdict, whether guilty or not-guilty in felony cases. Louisiana is alone in allowing such verdicts in murder cases though not if the death penalty is a possibility. If the bill becomes law, it would only apply to crimes committed after January 1. 2019. However it's getting some opposition from district attorneys like  John DeRosier of Calcasieu Parish.
“I’ve heard a lot about this system being 

Credit Courtesy: La. House of Representatives
/
Courtesy: La. House of Representatives
John DeRosier, District Attorney - Calcasieu Parish

  adopted as a result, a vestige of slavery. I have no reason to doubt that. I’m not proud of that, that that’s the way it started, but it is what it is," he said.

That comment drew an emotional response from several African American lawmakers. Sen. Morrell says the racist roots of the law cannot be ignored. And he urged lawmakers to address it.  Senate Bill 243  passed the committee without objection and  is  headed to the House Floor.

 

 

 

 

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.