Here are the answers to the questions on your worksheet based on the movie *12 Angry Men*.
1. How old is the defendant?
The defendant is
18 years old.
2. What crime is the defendant charged with? What is the possible punishment for this crime?
He is charged with
first-degree murder. The possible punishment is
death in the electric chair.
3. In what season of the year is the trial taking place?
It is
summer. (You can tell because it is very hot and humid in the jury room).
4. Should the defendant be found guilty, what method of execution is used in this state?
The method of execution is the
electric chair.
5. The trial is taking place in what state?
The trial takes place in
New York.
6. Why did the air conditioner not work?
The air conditioner was broken because the building was old and poorly maintained. Juror #10 specifically complains that the landlord won't fix it even though they pay rent.
7. After the first vote, what was the count for guilty? Not guilty?
Guilty:
11
Not Guilty:
1
8. Why did the first person change his mind to not guilty?
Juror #9 (the old man) changed his vote first, but Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) was the only "Not Guilty" vote initially. Juror #8 didn't necessarily believe the boy was innocent; he just felt there was
reasonable doubt and that they owed the boy a discussion before sending him to die. He wanted to talk about the evidence rather than just rushing to a verdict.
*(Note: If the question asks why the FIRST person to switch from Guilty to Not Guilty did so, that was Juror #9. He switched because he saw that Juror #8 stood alone against everyone else and had the courage to speak up, which reminded him of his own life struggles.)*
9. List the different methods used for voting on this jury.
*
Show of hands: Used for the initial secret ballot and later votes.
*
Secret written ballot: Juror #8 requests this to see if anyone else votes "not guilty" without fear of being seen.
*
Voice vote / Roll call: They go around the table one by one stating their vote.
10. Why was the defense attorney's ability questioned?
The jurors questioned the defense attorney because he seemed
uninterested and unprepared. He didn't cross-examine the witnesses aggressively or present strong arguments, leading some jurors to think he just didn't care about the case or believed the boy was obviously guilty.
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Final Answer:
1. 18 years old
2. First-degree murder; Death by electric chair
3. Summer
4. Electric chair
5. New York
6. It was broken/old and the landlord wouldn't fix it.
7. Guilty: 11, Not Guilty: 1
8. Juror #8 believed there was reasonable doubt and wanted to discuss the evidence before sentencing a boy to death.
9. Show of hands, secret written ballot, voice vote (roll call).
10. He appeared unprepared, uninterested, and did not fight hard for his client.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of 12 angry men worksheet.
