Why did juror 2 vote not guilty?

Asked by: Mable Barton  |  Last update: May 24, 2026
Score: 4.9/5 (27 votes)

In the classic film 12 Angry Men, Juror 2 (a meek bank teller) initially votes guilty but changes his vote to not guilty because he's swayed by the reasonable doubt raised by Juror 8, particularly after realizing the eyewitness might not have worn her glasses and questioning the logic of the old man's testimony amidst loud train noise, showing him that the case isn't as clear-cut as it first seemed and that he needs to speak up for his own conscience.

Why was Juror No. 2 important?

Vulture's Bilge Ebiri commented that Juror #2 inverts many tropes of the courtroom drama genre, writing that while in an ordinary legal thriller, "the system usually prevailed" and "justice would be served, even if it took a few extra tries", Eastwood's drama is a film "about how the system can fail even as everybody ...

Why did Juror #2 change his vote?

However, evidence like the angle of the stab wound supposedly delivered by defendant (who is six inches shorter than his father) and the timed reenactment causes Juror 2 to doubt his initial guilty vote.

Why does juror #9 vote not guilty during the second vote?

Juror 9 chooses to vote not guilty to continue the discussion and side with Juror 8 in examining the testimonies more closely.

Why did juror 3 change his vote to not guilty?

Juror 3 changed his vote because he realized that he was voting guilty because of his own problems with his son and not the facts of the case.

Juror No 2 in 3 Minutes or Less

24 related questions found

Why does juror 4 change his vote to not guilty?

Facts and Juror 4

In fact, he is the second to last to change his vote to not guilty. This shift in verdict comes from the other men's argument that one witness in the case was not wearing her glasses when she allegedly witnessed the murder.

Was the boy actually innocent in 12 Angry Men?

In 2007, legal scholar Michael Asimow argued that the jury in 12 Angry Men reached an incorrect verdict, writing that the amount of circumstantial evidence against the defendant should have been enough to convict him, even if the testimony of the two eyewitnesses was disregarded.

Why does juror 10 vote not guilty?

In the 1997 version, Juror 10 maintains his belief that the defendant is guilty (consistent with the written play) but changes his vote to "Not Guilty" out of resignation of not being able to convert his fellow Jurors to his bigotry.

Why did juror 8 vote not guilty?

He votes not guilty because he feels that the group should discuss a case with such serious consequences before deciding.

Why did juror 6 vote not guilty?

When the timing of the downstairs neighbor's testimony does not seem to make sense considering the witness's failing health, Juror 6 accepts that there is reasonable doubt as to whether the witness actually saw the defendant or just heard someone and assumed it was the defendant and changes his vote to not guilty.

Was Juror #2 good?

A decent judicial thriller from Clint Eastwood with drama, intrigue, tension and plot twists. While serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, a family man finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma, one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict or free the wrong killer.

Does Juror #2 go to jail?

But later, Faith realizes that that's Justin's wife, and his behavior on the jury makes sense. Meanwhile, Justin succeeds in getting Sythe convicted. He heads to prison. Kendall's family gets closure of their lost daughter.

What can we learn from Juror 2?

Juror #2, for instance, effectively confesses: criminal justice is unjust. It shows us that the prosecutor's case rests on eyewitness misidentification and prejudice, and that she pursues the case relentlessly, even after she has doubts, because she's running for DA and needs the conviction.

What are the odds of getting picked for jury duty?

The odds of being selected for jury duty vary, but generally, about 15% of U.S. adults get summoned annually, though only a fraction (around 36% of those summoned in one study) actually appear in court, and a much smaller percentage (roughly 5-10%) ends up as a sworn juror for a trial, as many are excused or deferred, with final selection depending heavily on case needs and individual disqualifications/excuses during voir dire. 

Is Juror #2 inappropriate?

Content rating

Rated PG-13 for some violent images and strong language.

Is Quiet Place 3 coming?

Yes, A Quiet Place Part III is officially confirmed and in development, with director John Krasinski returning to write, direct, and produce, continuing the main storyline after the prequel Day One, and is slated for a July 2027 release, promising a larger-scale conclusion to the trilogy with familiar faces expected to return. 

What if one juror says not guilty?

There is no requirement that jurors must come to a unanimous verdict. If the jury cannot unanimously agree on a verdict of either Guilty or Not Guilty, this is known as a hung jury. When further deliberation clearly will be unproductive, the judge will declare a mistrial.

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.

Did juror 3 change his vote?

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. Due to his change of vote from guilty to not guilty, Juror 3 shows growth in character and is therefore considered dynamic.

Why did juror 4 vote not guilty?

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

Who was the racist in 12 Angry Men?

The 10th Juror is an antagonist and espouses virulent and hateful racist ideology throughout the play. From the beginning, the 10th Juror speaks about the defendant almost exclusively in offensive racial stereotypes.

How many jurors need to vote not guilty?

The law requires twelve (12) jurors to be seated in a criminal case and only eight jurors are required in a civil case. In a criminal trial, the jury must find a defendant "guilty" or "not guilty" by a unanimous vote. In civil cases, the law requires a vote of at least three-fourths of the jury to reach a verdict.

Why did the guy cry at the end of 12 Angry Men?

Wikipedia makes this clear "Juror 3 vehemently and desperately tries to convince the others, until he finally reveals that his strained relationship with his own son makes him wish the defendant guilty. He breaks down in tears and changes his vote to "not guilty"."

Who is the villain in 12 Angry Men?

Juror 3 is shown to be a character full of prejudicial and vengeful motives. He is the primary antagonist of Reginald Roses “Twelve Angry Men” with the movie adaptation of the teleplay being released in 1954. His main goal throughout the course of the story is to convince the other jurors that the person is guilty.

Was 12 Angry Men scripted?

"12 Angry Men"'s brilliance doesn't lie in special effects or razzle dazzle. It is, by all accounts, a simple, straight-forward film that is beautifully scripted and perfectly acted in its portrayal of twelve male jurors deciding the fate of a Latino boy on trial for the murder of his father.