Instant verdicts are rare in high stake cases so don’t expect to be in the express lane.
Why is it taking so long?
Jury Consultant and Body Language Expert Susan Constantine states that “individual viewpoints and opinions play heavily in group deliberations. The stakes are high when standing in judgment of Jodi Arias’ fate with justice. This jury was involved, methodical, and thorough in searching for the truth. It only makes sense that their level of investment in determining a verdict will be equally as thorough.”
Possible holdout ? Maybe not…
Subtle or overt social pressures of their fellow jurors can be powerful influencers to flipping others to ‘group thinking’ rather than individualism during deliberations. I find that jurors in conflict with the group can often be persuaded by the majority when the social pressures build towards dominate thinking. This takes time, and time should not be construed as being more in favor for the defense or prosecution, rather the natural process of negotiation. With volumes of complex evidence and multiple choices in the jury instructions, the group is moving closer to one mind, one verdict, whatever that choice may be.
The jury is taking the states beliefs, and defenses belief, to determine the “group belief” and until this happens, jurors continue to deliberate. Jurors know that the state and defense uses persuasive techniques to sway them, putting that aside, the group decides what happened that night Travis was murdered.
Women are tougher on crime especially when the defendent is an attractive female (women are aware of how other women use their attractiveness to manipulate). Women have an instinctive sense about other women.
The men will be split in my opinion.
Contact:
Susan Constantine
Body Language Expert/Jury Consultant
Speaker/Trainer/Author/Media Analyst
407.405.3417