Reaching a verdict jury, deliberate, juror, reach/deliver a verdict, unanimous, majority verdict

In some countries many cases are decided by a jury, a group of ordinary people (often 12) called jurors who listen to the evidence and then deliberate together to decide the case and reach a verdict and deliver a verdict to the court: the defendant is found guilty or not guilty.

In courts in some places, the jury’s verdict must be unanimous: all the jurors must be in agreement. In other places only a majority verdict is required: for example, only 10 jurors out of 12 may need to agree. A jury that cannot reach a verdict is a hung jury.

1. Look at these extracts and decide if the missing expression is ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’.

1) Athletes found … of taking banned drugs won’t be competing. 2) He was charged with racketeering and fraud. His … plea follows a deal with US prosecutors. 3) A 21-year computer hacker has been found … of criminally damaging magnetic computer disks. 4) The juries were acquitting people who were as … as sin on the merest hint. 5) Eduardo Pardo, a pilot, pleaded … to charge of transporting nearly $1 million. 6) These are very serious charges. If she were found … it’s hard to see how she could escape a prison.

Acquittal

get off, walk/go free, get off lightly

If the defendant is found not guilty, there is an acquittal, and the defendant is acquitted or cleared of the charges and walks free or goes free.

Someone who has committed a crime but is not punished is informally said to get off. If they are found guilty, but the punishment is not severe, they are said to get off lightly.

These words have been left out of the BBC report below. Say where they go. Each word is used once. Not all numbered gaps in the report indicate a missing word.

Terms of acquittal

a acquittal	c allegations	e charges	g not guilty
b acquitted	d charges	f found	h trial

Imelda Marcos Acquitted

A court in New York has … (1) Mrs. Imelda Marcos – the widow of former President Marcos of the Philippines - … (2) of fraud and racketeering. The … (3) related … (4) to … (5) that Mrs. Marcos stole more than $2000 million from the Philippines treasury and … (6) used some of it to buy buildings in New York, as well jewellery and works of art.

The Saudi arms dealer and businessman, Mr. Adnan Khashoggi, was … (7) on … (8) of helping her by obstructing justice (препятствовать отправлению правосудия). In Manila, President Aquino expressed disappointment … (9) at the … (10) of Mrs. Marcos, and said the ban on her return to the country would remain in effect. However, she added that … (11) at the appropriate time, Mrs. Marcos would have to stand … (12) in a Philippines court.

Appeals

sentence, overturn, reverse, squash,

extenuating circumstances, lenient, rejects, dismiss the appeal

Someone convicted of an offence may appeal against his or her conviction or against his or her sentence. The offender asks another court to look again at the case and to overturn, reverse or squash the conviction, or to reduce the sentence.

The offender may ask for the sentence to be reduced because of extenuating circumstances not taken into consideration at the trial: these are circumstances that partly explain or justify why they committed the crime.

In some places the authorities may have left to appeal against a sentence if they think it is too lenient or light.

If the appeal court refuses to change the original conviction or sentence, it rejects or dismisses the appeal.

1. Read this article and do exercises after it.