DeepSummary
The episode revolves around the case of Frederick Edwards, a teenager convicted of aggravated rape, armed robbery, and kidnapping in 2007 by a non-unanimous jury vote of 11-1, with JonRe Taylor being the sole juror voting 'not guilty.' Taylor felt the evidence was insufficient, but her opinion was outvoted, leaving her traumatized by the experience.
The episode also discusses the history of non-unanimous jury verdicts in Louisiana, a vestige of the post-Reconstruction era aimed at diminishing the influence of black jurors. Despite efforts to challenge the law, the Supreme Court ruling in Ramos v. Louisiana, which required unanimous juries going forward, did not apply retroactively to many previous non-unanimous convictions.
Additionally, the episode features the story of Everett Norwood, who was convicted of attempted armed robbery in 2003 by an 11-1 non-unanimous jury. After years of fighting, his conviction was eventually overturned due to issues with his initial defense attorney.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Non-unanimous jury verdicts in Louisiana were a vestige of the post-Reconstruction era, aimed at diminishing the influence of black jurors and maintaining white supremacy.
- The practice led to numerous convictions, often with dissenting jurors protesting the lack of evidence, but their voices were effectively silenced by the non-unanimous system.
- Despite efforts to challenge the law, the Supreme Court's ruling in Ramos v. Louisiana, which required unanimous juries going forward, did not apply retroactively to many previous non-unanimous convictions.
- The personal stories of individuals like Frederick Edwards and Everett Norwood highlight the real-world impact and injustice of non-unanimous jury verdicts.
- While the practice has been abolished for future cases, many individuals remain incarcerated due to non-unanimous convictions, with limited legal avenues for relief.
- The episode highlights the systemic issues of racial discrimination and injustice within the criminal justice system, as exemplified by the non-unanimous jury law.
- The dissenting voices of jurors like JonRe Taylor underscore the importance of unanimous verdicts in upholding the integrity of the judicial system.
- The fight for justice and the overturning of non-unanimous convictions continues, but the path forward remains challenging and uncertain.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Whenever we took a repol, it went to eleven to one.“ by John Reed Taylor
- “When I saw Ramos on the front page of the newspaper, I jumped for Joy Evangelisto.“ by Everett Norwood
- “By amending the state constitution and allowing for non unanimous verdicts in criminal cases. It almost didn't matter if a few black jurors every now and then managed to make it onto a jury because they didn't have to be listened to.“ by Thomas Frampton
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Vox Media Podcast Network
6/7/24