Louisiana Vote for Unanimous Juries May Not Be Last Word

Louisiana’s on its way to abolishing split jury verdicts in criminal trials, but that won’t help convicts like Evangelisto Ramos unless the U.S. Supreme Court steps in.

The court’s been reluctant to take up the issue that’s again before it after Louisiana voted to abolish the practice Nov. 6, leaving Oregon alone in permitting it.

But the new Louisiana law that applies to offenses committed beginning in January doesn’t apply retroactively, Ramos notes in his petition for high court review, filed by attorneys with The Promise of Justice Initiative in New Orleans.

To get out from under a life sentence ...