You need consensus either to convict, or to _declare_ someone not guilty.
In the US there is an important distinction between the presumption of innocence, and its declaration in a court of law.
Someone with a hung jury or mistrial is still presumed not guilty by the law, but may be tried again for the same crime, because the prohibition against double jeopardy only applies to those cleared of a charge, which mistrials don't do.
In this case, it's a hard guarantee that a mistrial would be tried again. So yes, you would need consensus in a jury to prevent the conviction from eventually occurring, because there's no realistic chance of it happening twice.
It won't happen once either, but even if it did, it won't happen twice.
In the US there is an important distinction between the presumption of innocence, and its declaration in a court of law.
Someone with a hung jury or mistrial is still presumed not guilty by the law, but may be tried again for the same crime, because the prohibition against double jeopardy only applies to those cleared of a charge, which mistrials don't do.
In this case, it's a hard guarantee that a mistrial would be tried again. So yes, you would need consensus in a jury to prevent the conviction from eventually occurring, because there's no realistic chance of it happening twice.
It won't happen once either, but even if it did, it won't happen twice.