Why did juror 9 vote not guilty?

Asked by: Grover Sipes  |  Last update: July 4, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (48 votes)

In 12 Angry Men, Juror 9 (the elderly man) changes his vote to "not guilty" to support Juror 8’s courage in standing alone and to allow more time for the case to be discussed. As a compassionate and observant man, he respects 8's effort to deeply examine the evidence rather than rushing to a verdict.

Why does juror 9 vote not guilty?

Juror 9 is the first of the remaining eleven jurors to change his vote after the initial one. He does this, not because he has changed his mind, but to give support to Juror 8.

Who was the only juror to vote not guilty?

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.

Why did juror 10 change his vote to not guilty?

Juror 10 in 12 Angry Men changes his vote to not guilty because he is completely isolated, defeated, and rejected by the rest of the jury following his hateful, prejudiced rant. Realizing no one will listen to him or validate his bigotry, he gives up on his conviction.

Why did juror #8 vote not guilty in 12 Angry Men?

In 12 Angry Men, Juror 8 votes "not guilty" not because he is convinced the boy is innocent, but because he believes in the principle of reasonable doubt and feels obligated to discuss the case, as it involves a death penalty. He acts out of responsibility, compassion, and a commitment to the legal process.

12 Angry Men (9/10) Movie CLIP - Nose Marks (1957) HD

34 related questions found

Who voted not guilty in 12 Angry Men?

In the 1957 film 12 Angry Men, all twelve jurors ultimately vote "not guilty," shifting from an initial 11-1 guilty vote to a unanimous acquittal. Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) is the initial holdout, with others gradually changing their votes after examining reasonable doubt. The final juror to change his vote is Juror 3.

Why did juror 7 vote not guilty?

The 7th Juror changes his vote to “not guilty” because he's had enough. This angers the 11th Juror, saying he's playing with a man's life and that he doesn't have the guts to do what's right. The 7th Juror admits he's convinced that the boy isn't guilty.

Why is juror 10 racist?

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.

Why did juror 11 change his vote to not guilty?

After his comment of listening closely and digging deeper, Juror 11 changed his vote to not guilty because he had changed his mind. Juror 11 questioned the boy's leaving the knife and then returning to the scene of the crime and the old man's testimony, all of which led to reasonable doubt.

Why did Juror 3 vote not guilty?

In 12 Angry Men, Juror 3 changes his vote to "not guilty" because he finally acknowledges that his desire to convict is driven by personal trauma and projection, not the case's evidence. He realizes he is taking out his rage against his own estranged son on the defendant, leading to a emotional breakdown.

Do people still believe OJ was innocent?

While an overwhelming majority of Americans believe O.J. Simpson was guilty of the 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, a small minority continues to argue for his innocence, often citing distrust in the LAPD or conspiracy theories. However, even this minority viewpoint has shrunk over time, with, according to PBS, most Black Americans in recent polling agreeing he was likely responsible.

Is Juror 8 worth watching?

The film is considered a classic because of the heroism and humanitarianism of Juror #8, because of the film's great direction of keeping such a small space visually fresh and because well it's a damn good story.

What is 12 Angry Men ranked?

When ranking the jurors of 12 Angry Men by their intelligence, morality, and overall contribution, Juror #8 ranks at the top as the clear moral and intellectual hero. He is followed by the methodical Juror #4, the insightful Juror #9, and the slum-raised Juror #5, with the deeply apathetic and prejudiced Jurors #7 and #10 at the bottom.

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.

Who is the last juror to vote not guilty?

Juror 3 is the last person to change his vote to ''not guilty. '' He does so at the end of the play when all of the other jurors have decided to vote ''not guilty'' due to reasonable doubt in the evidence. In the 1957 film, he tears up a photograph of his son when he finally changes his vote.

Who changed their vote in 12 Angry Men?

In 12 Angry Men (1957), Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) is the initial holdout for "not guilty," gradually persuading the others. The order of changing from "guilty" to "not guilty" is generally Juror 9, then 5, 11, 2, 6, 7, 1, 12, 10, 4, and finally 3. Juror 12 also briefly switches back to "guilty" before switching again.

What happens when one juror votes not guilty?

If one juror holds out and votes "not guilty" in a criminal trial, and refuses to change their vote after deliberation, it results in a hung jury, leading to a mistrial. Because criminal cases require a unanimous verdict, the case is not resolved and may be retried.

Why is Juror 3 angry?

Video Summary for Juror 3 in 12 Angry Men

His behavior is deeply rooted in personal trauma, specifically his estranged relationship with his son whom he hasn't spoken to in three years. Throughout deliberations, Juror 3's quick temper manifests in outbursts, threats, and condescending remarks toward fellow jurors.

Who is the antagonist in 12 Angry Men?

Juror 3 is the primary antagonist in 12 Angry Men (1957), acting as the main force opposing the protagonist, Juror 8. A stubborn, angry, and emotional businessman, Juror 3 is driven by personal prejudices and a broken relationship with his own son to push for a conviction.

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 that with a man's life.

Is Juror 3 a sadist?

Juror #3: A very strong, very forceful, extremely opinionated man within whom can be detected a streak of sadism, Juror #3 is also a humorless man who is intolerant of opinions other than his own and is accustomed to forcing his wishes and views upon others.

What does "voir dire" literally mean?

French for to speak the truth, voir dire is the process through which potential jurors are questioned by either the judge or a lawyer to determine their suitability for jury service. It is used to excuse prospective jurors deemed incapable of fulfilling juror obligations, such as impartiality.

Why did juror #8 vote not guilty?

Juror 8 voted not guilty in 12 Angry Men because he refused to send a teenager to the death penalty without thoroughly examining the evidence. While he did not definitively know the boy was innocent, he saw glaring holes in the prosecution's case and felt the defense was inadequate.

Why did Juror 6 vote not guilty?

Lesson Summary

Juror 6 does question the defendant's guilt for reasons like the timing of the downstairs witness in relation to his health, a fact that causes Juror 6 to change his verdict from guilty to not guilty.

Why did juror 5 vote guilty?

He initially felt peer pressure to vote "guilty," but once the discussion revealed that so many of the jurors were basing their guilty votes on unfounded assumptions, bias, and prejudice, Juror 5 felt more confident about voting his conscience.