Report: Jurors In Porter Trial Were 1 Vote Away From Acquittal
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Breaking down the deadlock. New revelations about just how divided the jury was in the Officer Porter trial. Our media partner, The Baltimore Sun, interviewed one juror about just what happened during deliberations.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren with a closer look at the jury breakdown, and what it reveals.
Jurors were very close to convicting Officer Porter of misconduct in office, but they were also very close to acquitting him of involuntary manslaughter.
Almost one month since Officer William Porter's trial ended with a hung jury, one of those deadlocked jurors revealed to The Baltimore Sun a jury room fraught with emotion and split on the panel's final vote.
This could have a sweeping impact on the remaining trials.
"The lawyers for the other defendants are looking at this very closely and trying to read these tea leaves," said Andrew Levy, legal analyst.
The juror says the vote on the most serious charge -- involuntary manslaughter -- was 11 not guilty to 1 guilty.
On assault -- 8 not guilty, 2 guilty and 2 undecided.
"What this does show is that this was a case that could have gone either way," Levy said.
But on reckless endangerment, only 3 jurors thought Porter was not guilty; 7 thought he was guilty and 2 were undecided.
And on misconduct in office, only 1 juror thought Porter was not guilty; 10 believed he was guilty and 1 was undecided.
The juror said: "This was the vote that was on the board when the jury conceded to deadlock. Had we continued discussions, there's great likelihood that the numbers could have switched, but I couldn't say which way."
"You would assume that this sounds like a classic compromise verdict," Levy said.
Knowing how the jurors voted is extraordinarily valuable information to both sides that will likely impact their strategies moving forward.
Debate became so tense: "Some of the panel in Porter's trial were driven to tears during deliberations and afterward."
"The jury knows that they have the fate of this police officer in their hands," said Levy. "My god, how difficult would that be for anyone?"
The judge made the jury anonymous, but took the added step of asking them not to speak to the media.
Read more of The Baltimore Sun's interview with the juror here.