More On That Acquittal

Here's a fact that many people seem unable to grasp about the acquittal of the "Waihopai Three":*

Jury verdicts do not have any precedent value.

It's quite a simple fact to grasp. Another jury could have just as easily found the trio guilty on all charges. There would be nothing stopping a jury from doing so if an identical case were being decided tomorrow.

* By "many people", I am referring to other people in the blogosphere (e.g. Kiwiblog). The verdicts are so fresh that the only hysterical responses to it I've seen are on the Internet.