Lone juror saved Moussaoui from death.

A single holdout kept the jury from handing a death sentence to Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in this country in the 9/11 attacks.

But that juror never explained his vote, said the foreman of the jury that last week sentenced the confessed al Qaeda conspirator to life in prison.

www.cnn.com...

I am quite suprised to hear that jurors do not have to explain thier reasoning behind thier decisions in cases as big as this. Either way, it looks like this was a very close call for Moussaoui. I wonder how long it will be before the identity of the lone juror is revealed, and what that could entail for the that person? I can't see them being too popular can you?

CX.

They've got my vote
The death penalty is useless as a deterrent and based on flawed evidence in many cases. The 9/11 incident was planned by the US government, and Moussaoui was the patsy that they used to rally the mob behind. However, I think this trial would have been a good place for Moussaoui to spill his guts and get some people involved in some hot water.

As long as the juror voted his or her mind as well as their heart, I have no issue with their vote to spare Mousowey, or however you spell it. He is a slimey little man who will never see the light of day again. He got his day in court, was found guilty, and now pays the price.

You are right about that juror though, he or she is not going to be very popular at all. He or she did as his/her conscionce dictated, no more, no less. Do any of us know for sure how we would have voted in their shoes? It will be easy for many of us to condemn that juror for not voting for death. Easy to say, less easy to do. What his/her reasoning was? We don't know, don't really need to know.

What this does tell us, IMHO, the juror selection process was untainted, the trial itself was fair, and no untoward pressure exerted on the jury. So a victory of sorts for the American trial system. Both sides did their jobs. Prosecution got a guilty verdict, the defense got their client a life sentence, not death.

Although, I have heard that Moussowei is thinking about changing his guilty plee to get a new trial. Anyone heard otherwise?

Originally posted by seagull
Although, I have heard that Moussowei is thinking about changing his guilty plee to get a new trial. Anyone heard otherwise?

Yes thats his plan apparently, but they've told him where he can stick it i believe.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

CX.

Originally posted by CX
A single holdout kept the jury from handing a death sentence to Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in this country in the 9/11 attacks.

But that juror never explained his vote, said the foreman of the jury that last week sentenced the confessed al Qaeda conspirator to life in prison.

www.cnn.com...

I am quite suprised to hear that jurors do not have to explain thier reasoning behind thier decisions in cases as big as this.

Why should they have to explain it? THey are recruited to make a decision, not present an arguement.

Either way, it looks like this was a very close call for Moussaoui. I wonder how long it will be before the identity of the lone juror is revealed

Hopefulyl never.

I can't see them being too popular can you?

I can see someone threating their family and killing the juror. They can't release the names, it'd undermine the system.

Although, I have heard that Moussowei is thinking about changing his guilty plee to get a new trial. Anyone heard otherwise?

Bizzarely, he says that now he realizes that he can get a 'fair trial'.

I suspect he is not as nuts as he is presented as being, and that he is acting nice now to get public sympathy up for him, keep his case in the media, get retrials, and use those all as soapboxes for the cause.