Faced with this dilemma, some juries would acquit the defendant in order to spare his life.

The trial judge had misdirected the jury, but the conviction was safe because no reasonable jury could have acquitted the defendant.

However, occasionally jurors find the law to be invalid or unfair, and on that basis acquit the defendant, regardless of the evidence presented that the defendant violated the law.

As a result, the jury acquitted the defendant.

Following the judge's instructions, the jury needed only nineteen minutes to acquit the defendants.

However, a court acquitted them in 2002 not because of outrageous police bungling - but after a crucial witness lied.

A month after the film's release, a court acquitted the main accused because of inefficient prosecution and hostile witnesses.

The court acquitted him, his officers and his men of all blame.

In 1999 a court acquitted him of causing death by dangerous driving but convicted him of dangerous driving for his role in the collision.

The court acquitted a third officer and continued to investigate a fourth.