Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror

Praise for Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror

“A juror refutes some common misperceptions about the hopelessly deadlocked juries in the Menendez case… [Thornton] reveals in her lively, astute trial diary that Erik’s jury reached an impasse not on the issue of guilt, but on the charge…. Countering the notion that the jurors were hoodwinked and baffled by the parade of psychological experts, Thornton shows a firm grasp of the facts and of legal concepts like ‘burden of proof.’… A highly valuable resource for litigators, and a good read for the expanding army of trial buffs.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Hazel Thornton shares her experiences serving on one of the juries of one of the most high-profile murder trials in recent history…. [She] began keeping a journal as an outlet for her feelings about the case and to help her sort out the deluge of information that she received in court every day. Her candid entries provide readers with an insider’s perspective of a controversial trial and show how the defense attorneys successfully used a ‘blame the victim’ strategy, which caused hopeless deadlock among the juries for both defendants. The diary reveals much about the thoughts, discussions, and actions of the jury.”—Booklist