Page 4: Act III - The Final Deliberations
The 12 Angry Men Act 3 summary showcases the dramatic shift in the jury's stance. A new vote reveals an even split: 6 guilty and 6 not guilty.
Highlight: The jurors voting guilty are 1, 3, 4, 7, 10, and 12, while those voting not guilty are 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11.
Juror 3 suggests declaring a hung jury, but a vote on this proposal results in another 6-6 split along the same lines as the guilt vote.
A pivotal moment occurs with Juror 10's outburst:
- He makes racist and classist remarks about people from the slums
- Other jurors respond by turning their backs and ignoring him
- This reaction effectively isolates Juror 10 and weakens the "guilty" faction
Quote: Juror 4 threatens Juror 10, saying, "If you open your mouth again, I'm going to split your skull."
The next vote shows a dramatic shift to 11-1 in favor of not guilty. Juror 4, previously one of the strongest advocates for a guilty verdict, changes his vote due to growing doubt.
Analysis: This shift demonstrates how the careful examination of evidence and confrontation of personal biases can lead to a more just deliberation process.
Juror 3, now the lone holdout, reacts with increasing desperation as he loses his last allies. His behavior suggests that his stance may be more about personal issues than the evidence at hand.
Vocabulary: Hung jury - A jury that is unable to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial.
This act brings the 12 Angry Men analysis to its climax, showcasing the power of reasoned debate and the importance of challenging one's own assumptions in the pursuit of justice.