Court Juror Jury

Juror #8: Nobody has to prove otherwise. The burden of proof is on the prosecution. The defendant doesn't even have to open his mouth. That's in the Constitution.

Finally, Juror #8 helps convince some of the last holdouts by showing them that the other key witness was almost certainly not wearing her glasses when she allegedly saw the boy kill his father. For most of the jurors, this is the final nail in the coffin, and the verdict eventually turns to Not Guilty.

A reasonable doubt is not a doubt based upon sympathy or prejudice, and instead, is based on reason and common sense. Reasonable doubt is logically connected to the evidence or absence of evidence. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt does not involve proof to an absolute certainty.

If a juror feels that the definition of reasonable doubt implies that 80% certainty is required to convict, then 80% is the juror's perceived standard of reasonable doubt. In a given case, if the juror feels that it is 90% likely that the defendant committed the crime, then the juror's level of perceived guilt is 90%.

A reasonable doubt exists when a factfinder cannot say with moral certainty that a person is guilty or a particular fact exists. It must be more than an imaginary doubt, and it is often defined judicially as such doubt as would cause a reasonable person to hesitate before acting in a matter of importance.

Beyond a reasonable doubt is the legal burden of proof required to affirm a conviction in a criminal case.This means that the prosecution must convince the jury that there is no other reasonable explanation that can come from the evidence presented at trial.

If the jury cannot agree on a verdict on one or more counts, the court may declare a mistrial on those counts.A common axiom in criminal cases is that "it takes only one to hang," referring to the fact that in some cases, a single juror can defeat the required unanimity.

Understanding Reasonable Doubt Under U.S. law, a defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty. If the judge or jury has a reasonable doubt about the defendant's guilt, the defendant cannot be convicted. Simply put, reasonable doubt is the highest standard of proof used in any court of law.