Criminology Term: Mistrial
A mistrial is a legal term that denotes a trial that has come to an unexpected halt before a verdict is rendered.
The reasons behind a mistrial could be numerous, such as procedural errors, jury misconduct, attorney misconduct, or the revelation of fresh evidence.
In some cases, a mistrial may be declared if the jury is deadlocked and unable to reach a unanimous decision.
When a mistrial is declared, the trial is stopped, and the case may either be tried again with a fresh jury or dropped altogether. It is important to note that a mistrial does not constitute a finding of guilt or innocence, and the defendant can be retried without prejudice.
A mistrial can be declared by the judge at the request of the prosecutor, defense counsel, or even on their own initiative. The judge's decision to declare a mistrial is usually based on whether it is impossible to proceed with the trial without infringing on the defendant's right to a fair trial.
In such cases, the court has no option but to declare a mistrial to prevent any injustice.
