Louisiana passes amendment ending split jury verdicts
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Supporters of a constitutional amendment ending split jury verdicts are celebrating their victory.
The amendment passed Tuesday. It ends 10-2 or 11-1 verdicts in felony cases. The amendment was supported by a wide range of groups and individuals across the political spectrum.
Americans for Prosperity cheered the amendment's passage, saying it protects the rights of the accused and ensures verdicts are beyond a reasonable doubt.
The conservative organization is the main political advocacy group for billionaire Charles Koch, who has supported criminal justice overhauls in several states, including Louisiana. Norris Henderson, state director of the Unanimous Jury Coalition, says the passage shows the nation that people can come together for the "common cause of freedom."