In Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, the Modified Allen Charge is a specific type of jury instruction given by the judge in criminal trials. It is designed to encourage deadlocked jurors to revisit their positions and engage in further discussions in order to reach a unanimous verdict. The Modified Allen Charge is also known as the "Allen Charge," "Dynamite Charge," or "Allen Charge — Modified Allen." It is named after the landmark Supreme Court case Allen v. United States, which established the constitutionality of such instructions. The purpose of this instruction is to prevent the jury from being discharged without reaching a verdict and to encourage jurors to consider the opinions of others and the evidence presented more comprehensively. The Modified Allen Charge is typically given when the jury reports that they are unable to reach a unanimous verdict, indicating a potential deadlock. This type of instruction notifies jurors that the court expects verdicts in criminal cases to be reached if at all possible and not just by majority rule. The judge may emphasize that jurors should carefully review the evidence, listen to the arguments of their fellow jurors, and be open to changing their own opinions if persuaded by sound reasoning. It is important to note that while the Modified Allen Charge aims to influence the jury's decision-making process, it cannot coerce or pressure any juror into changing their verdict or compromising their own judgement. The charge should be impartial and should not favor the prosecution or defense. In Mecklenburg County, different variations of the Modified Allen Charge may be used depending on the circumstances of the case. These variations may include tailored language or instructions specific to the evidence presented or legal issues at hand. Overall, the Mecklenburg North Carolina Jury Instruction — Modified Allen Charge serves as a tool to encourage thorough deliberation among the jurors, promote dialogue and consensus-building, and ultimately strive for a unanimous decision within the confines of the law.