Lucy Letby jury told they can return majority verdicts
Posted 08 August 2023 - 16:19
Judge’s direction comes on 15th day of jury’s deliberations in the trial of the nurse who denies murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 15 others
The jury in the murder trial of nurse Lucy Letby has been given a majority direction, meaning they do not have to reach a unanimous decision on each charge.
The judge, Mr Justice Goss, told the jury of seven women and four men on 8 August that he would accept verdicts on which at least ten of them were agreed.
Last week the jury was reduced to 11 when a female juror was discharged for personal reasons.
The judge’s direction came on the 15th day of the jury’s deliberations, which have so far lasted more than 76 hours. The trial began in October 2022 and the jury began its deliberations on 10 July.
Mr Justice Goss told the jury at Manchester Crown Court: ‘I am going to ask you to return to your deliberating room and continue with your deliberations and strive to reach unanimous verdicts.
Jury told they should still strive to reach unanimous verdicts
‘However, the time has now come when it is possible for me to accept verdicts upon which you are not all agreed, commonly referred to as majority verdicts.
‘It must be by a majority of at least ten of you, either 11 to none or ten to one. Nothing else will do.’
Ms Letby denies murdering seven babies and attempting to murder ten others during the course of her work on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
She has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of murder and 15 counts of attempted murder between June 2015 and June 2016.
RCNi coverage of the Lucy Letby trial
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