On Wednesday, a state appeals court in New Orleans ruled that a non-unanimous conviction should be overturned. On the same day, an appeals court in Lake Charles ruled that another split-jury verdict was valid.
Brandon Jackson was convicted of armed robbery by a 10-2 jury in 1997. Split verdicts are no longer legal. But his conviction, and those for hundreds more, is still considered valid.
Brandon Jackson is one of more than 1,500 people still incarcerated in Louisiana on non-unanimous verdicts, though the United States Supreme Court ruled split verdicts unconstitutional last year. Will he get a chance at freedom?
Lawmaker says the group will aim to find ways to identify cases where defendants were convicted wrongfully as a result of problems in their cases beyond split decisions, such as weak evidence, misconduct or discrimination.
The bill is opposed by the Louisiana District Attorneys Association.
More than 1,000 Louisiana prisoners not covered by a previous decision were convicted by split juries. Advocates are now urging the state to act to overturn old non-unanimous verdicts.
Advocates are pushing to have the bill passed regardless of the ruling
This week will mark one year since the Supreme Court ruled that non-unanimous jury verdicts were unconstitutional. For about 1,500 Louisiana prisoners, that means a legal deadline is fast approaching.
More than a dozen people appeared in court on Wednesday after making deals with the Orleans Parish DA’s office. Many are now set to go free immediately.
