Which juror disagrees in 12 Angry Men?

Asked by: Khalid Ledner  |  Last update: March 15, 2026
Score: 4.3/5 (25 votes)

In 12 Angry Men, Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) is the sole juror who disagrees with the initial "guilty" verdict, arguing for reasonable doubt and careful consideration of the evidence, eventually convincing the other 11 jurors to change their votes to "not guilty" by the end. He's the protagonist and the only voice of compassion and reason in the initial vote, pushing for a thorough discussion.

Which juror votes not guilty in 12 Angry Men?

Juror 8 is the protagonist of Reginald Rose's "12 Angry Men." He is a peaceful and compassionate man who is dedicated to finding the truth. He is the only juror to vote not guilty at the beginning of the deliberation, as he wanted to discuss the case before making a decision.

What did Juror 7 say to juror 11?

I do not think you have the right to play like this with a man's life. This is an ugly and terrible thing to do. '' As earlier, Juror 7 tries to shut down Juror 11.

Why is juror 4 important?

The fourth juror is one of the first of the twelve men to vote for a guilty verdict in the case, claiming that the facts of the case are irrefutable and clearly point to the young inner-city boy being the murderer. However, as the story unfolds, we learn that his decision may not be solely based on logic.

Why did juror 6 vote not guilty?

He's not voting ``not guilty'' because he doesn't want to send a guilty boy to death. He's voting ``not guilty'' because he doesn't believe the evidence was anywhere near overwhelming enough to send a boy to death.

Every Juror in 12 Angry men ranked

34 related questions found

Why does juror 3 vote not guilty?

Juror 3 had apparently been harboring some negative feelings about his son's generation. Juror 3 changed his vote after realizing that all of his anger toward the defendant was a direct result of his bad relationship with his son.

Why did juror 2 vote not guilty?

Justin resolves to argue for a not-guilty verdict, using his own sobriety story to show that Sythe is capable of change.

Why is juror 3 biased?

Juror #3 is very biased towards the accused teenager, and that is because his own son had once hit him on the jaw and had run away from home at the age of 15. He says, "I've got a kid...

Why is juror 5 important?

Juror 5 is younger than the other jurors. He gives the defendant the benefit of the doubt, believing he is innocent until proven guilty. He thinks carefully before speaking, and thoughtfully considers the evidence before him.

What is juror #3 about?

What's it about? A young attorney defends a football star accused of murder in a racially-charged case full of secrets and lies in a small Southern town.

Which juror was racist in 12 Angry Men?

In 12 Angry Men, Juror 10 is a racist bigot who owns several garages that he wants to get back to. He sees the defendant as a symbol of his ethnic group and sees the need to prevent incursion from that ethnic group into "civilized" society.

What is juror 8 doing when we first see him?

Who is the protagonist in the play and what is he doing when we first see him? The protagonist is juror 8 and he is staring thoughtfully out the window.

Who voted not guilty in Act 2?

Summary: Act II, Part 2. They vote again with a show of hands. The Foreman and the 12th Juror flip, making the vote nine-three in favor of a "not guilty" verdict. Only the 3rd, 4th, and 10th Jurors vote guilty.

Who is the angriest juror in 12 Angry Men?

Calling this angriest of the men in that jury room a “sadist,” the Fonda character makes the key point: personal grievance, not fact, drives this juror. Played by Lee J. Cobb, a powerful character actor who always brought complexity to his roles, makes this anger human.

Why did juror 4 vote not guilty?

He believes there is a reasonable doubt. He was influenced by the prosecution's closing arguments.

Who is the last juror to vote not guilty?

By the end of the film, every single juror, who originally voted guilty, has changed his vote to not guilty. Juror #3 is the last juror to change his vote. When juror #3, standing alone, is asked to explain why he is voting as he is, his arguments come out as an incoherent rambling mess.

What did juror 6 do?

NEW YORK - Juror No. 6 was dismissed after prosecutors raised concerns about his honesty, accusing him of showing "a lack of candor" regarding his residence. The judge ultimately determined the juror had "inconsistencies" about where he lived and removed him from the panel.

Why is juror 9 important?

Juror 9 demonstrates moral clarity by recognizing the danger in Juror 10's prejudiced statements. He becomes the first to support Juror 8's not-guilty vote, saying "He gambled for support, and I gave it to him." His keen observations prove vital to the case: He empathizes with the elderly witness's need for recognition.

Is juror 7 racist?

Juror 7 is also shown to be ethnocentric and xenophobic when he insults the immigrant Juror 11. When Juror 7 switches his vote to "Not guilty" because he had enough of the constant arguing, the immigrant Juror 11 gets mad and berates Juror 7, telling him that he has no right to play like this with the man's life.

Was the boy actually guilty in 12 Angry Men?

The film 12 Angry Men deliberately leaves the defendant's guilt ambiguous, focusing instead on the concept of "reasonable doubt" in the justice system; while the jury ultimately votes "not guilty" due to flaws in the prosecution's evidence and witnesses, the movie never confirms if the boy actually committed the murder, leaving it open for the audience to decide if the evidence presented truly proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
 

Why was Juror 3 so stubborn?

Juror 3 embodies the role of the aggressive bully in the jury room, constantly intimidating others who disagree with his immediate conviction of the defendant. His behavior is deeply rooted in personal trauma, specifically his estranged relationship with his son whom he hasn't spoken to in three years.

What are two things jurors should never do?

Two critical things jurors should never do are research the case or visit the scene independently, and discuss the case with anyone outside the jury, including family, friends, or on social media, to ensure the verdict relies solely on evidence presented in court. Violating these rules, like becoming an "amateur detective" or getting outside opinions, can lead to a mistrial because it introduces biased information, according to the California Courts website and the Western District of Pennsylvania court guide.
 

Why does juror 10 vote not guilty?

Juror no. 10 decided that he would have to vote to acquit the minority defendant, not because he was tolerant, but because otherwise he would face ostracism from the white jurors.

What if one juror disagrees?

If one juror disagrees in a criminal trial, it often leads to a hung jury (deadlocked jury) and a mistrial, meaning no verdict is reached and the prosecutor might retry the case or drop charges, but in some states (like Oregon historically), a non-unanimous vote could still convict, although federal cases and most states require unanimous verdicts for criminal convictions. In civil cases, requirements vary by state, but often fewer than 12 jurors agree, and some states allow non-unanimous verdicts, but a complete deadlock still results in a mistrial. 

Is Juror #2 basically 12 angry men?

Yes, the new film Juror #2 (2024) is heavily influenced by and often called a modern spiritual successor or "what if" take on 12 Angry Men, sharing themes of jury deliberation, reasonable doubt, and challenging biases, but it flips the script by making the lead juror involved in the crime and adds a contemporary twist with a focus on one juror's inner conflict rather than just group dynamics, note reviewers.