[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 32 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 32

 To eliminate a requirement for a unanimous verdict in criminal trials 
                           in Federal courts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 19, 1999

 Mr. Thurmond introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To eliminate a requirement for a unanimous verdict in criminal trials 
                           in Federal courts.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AMENDMENT OF RULE 31 OF THE FEDERAL RULES OF CRIMINAL 
              PROCEDURE.

    (a) In General.--Rule 31(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal 
Procedure is amended by striking ``unanimous'' and inserting ``by five-
sixths of the jury''.
    (b) Applicability.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to cases pending or commenced on or after the date of enactment 
of this Act.
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