hung jury

A hung jury occurs when a jury cannot reach a unanimous decision—either guilty or not guilty—after thorough deliberation. This typically happens when jurors are evenly split or unable to agree on the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. When a jury is hung, the judge may declare a mistrial, which means the case may be retried with a new jury if the prosecution chooses to proceed. Essentially, a hung jury indicates that the jury cannot definitively decide the defendant's guilt or innocence based on the evidence presented.