“The sword of the law should never fall but on those whose guilt is so apparent as to be pronounced by their friends as well as foes.”

Marx's immoral, ANTI-law / justice, enslaving and tyrannous 2nd plank of the communist manifesto is an accurate example of Jefferson's here quote. The occupying statist theocracy infesting this land's compelled compliance, government licenses, victimless crimes and larceny with impunity (police state confiscations, funny money, SS, etc.) is/are (individually and in concert) an accurate example of Jefferson's here quote. The element, blatantly missing from Jefferson's here quote is extreme ignorance of individual sovereignty, inalienable rights, liberty, the laws of nature and of nature's God and the sensorial thereof.

Mike, I don't think Jefferson was alluding to guilt by majority vote.  ;-)  It does require all jurors to agree on a guilty verdict to convict.  So no one should be found guilty unless it is obvious to all, even the defendant's friends.  There should be NO doubt.  Reasonable doubt means you can't convict because you are not sure.  Better a guilty man set free than an innocent convicted.

"The sword of the law" should never fall on a true friend because he maintains and performs  in the best interest of all.