Zealous
Oregon Unanimous Jury | Initiative
Description: A call to topple a racist law in Oregon and free the people it imprisons.
In every other state in the country and in federal courts, a person could only be found guilty if every person on a jury finds that the prosecution has proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A unanimous jury is the cornerstone of American law. Until 2020, Oregon was the last state in the country to allow a person to be convicted and sent to prison even when up to two people voted “not-guilty.” Allowing a ten-two or eleven-one non-unanimous decision meant that the opinions of two jurors could be completely
The discriminatory purpose of non-unanimous juries was actualized and people of color, mostly Black defendants, were disproportionately silenced as jurors and convicted as defendants by non-unanimous juries. Every single conviction based upon this law is infused not just with racism, but with doubt and uncertainty. This is not only injustice for those wrongfully convicted, but survivors of crime, directly impacted families, and the Oregon justice system.
At this critical moment for racial and social justice, we need our leaders to act now to ensure that all who are seeking relief from the racist stain of non-unanimous jury convictions will have their unconstitutional convictions vacated. The U.S. Supreme Court has underscored this imperative: that Oregon itself can decide whether all those who were harmed by our racist past under this law should be treated equally. The Non-Unanimous Jury Bill would be one huge step in undoing part of Oregon’s racist past. A
Zealous
Oregon Unanimous Jury | Initiative