number jurors are needed for a death penalty case
Death penalty cases are complex and require the jury to make decisions about life and death that are far different from the usual juror decision of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.. Research indicates that jurors in capital cases do not fully understand many aspects of the instructions they receive.he Project also found that 44% of jurors believed the death penalty was required if the defendant's conduct was heinous, vile or depraved, even though the Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty cannot be required because specific aggravating circumstances have been established.