Mesorat%20hashas for Sanhedrin 5:5

אִם מָצְאוּ לוֹ זְכוּת, פְּטָרוּהוּ. וְאִם לָאו, מַעֲבִירִין דִּינוֹ לְמָחָר. הָיוּ מִזְדַּוְּגִין זוּגוֹת זוּגוֹת, וּמְמַעֲטִין בְּמַאֲכָל, וְלֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹתִין יַיִן כָּל הַיּוֹם, וְנוֹשְׂאִין וְנוֹתְנִין כָּל הַלַּיְלָה, וְלַמָּחֳרָת מַשְׁכִּימִין וּבָאִין לְבֵית דִּין. הַמְזַכֶּה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְזַכֶּה וּמְזַכֶּה אֲנִי בִמְקוֹמִי, וְהַמְחַיֵּב אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְחַיֵּב וּמְחַיֵּב אֲנִי בִמְקוֹמִי. הַמְלַמֵּד חוֹבָה מְלַמֵּד זְכוּת, אֲבָל הַמְלַמֵּד זְכוּת אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר וּלְלַמֵּד חוֹבָה. טָעוּ בְדָּבָר, שְׁנֵי סוֹפְרֵי הַדַּיָּנִין מַזְכִּירִין אוֹתָן. אִם מָצְאוּ לוֹ זְכוּת, פְּטָרוּהוּ. וְאִם לָאו, עוֹמְדִים לְמִנְיָן. שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מְזַכִּין וְאַחַד עָשָׂר מְחַיְּבִין, זַכַּאי. שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מְחַיְּבִין וְאַחַד עָשָׂר מְזַכִּין, וַאֲפִלּוּ אַחַד עָשָׂר מְזַכִּין וְאַחַד עָשָׂר מְחַיְּבִין וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, וַאֲפִלּוּ עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם מְזַכִּין אוֹ מְחַיְּבִין וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, יוֹסִיפוּ הַדַּיָּנִין. עַד כַּמָּה מוֹסִיפִין, שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם עַד שִׁבְעִים וְאֶחָד. שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה מְזַכִּין וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה מְחַיְּבִין, זַכַּאי. שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה מְחַיְּבִין וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה מְזַכִּין, דָּנִין אֵלּוּ כְּנֶגֶד אֵלּוּ עַד שֶׁיִּרְאֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמְחַיְּבִין דִּבְרֵי הַמְזַכִּין:

If they found in his favor, they acquitted him. And if not, they moved his judgment to the next day [so as not to judge at night]. They would pair off and minimize eating, and they would not drink wine all the day, and they would deliberate all the night. The next day, they would arise early and come to beth-din. The acquitter says: "I acquitted (yesterday), and my acquittal stands." The indicter says: "I indicted (yesterday), and my indictment stands." The indicter may (change his mind and) acquit; but the acquitter may not retract and indict. If they (the judges) erred in something, the two judicial scribes remind them (of what they said the preceding day). If they find in his favor, they acquit him. If not, they stand for a count. If twelve acquit and twelve indict, he is acquitted. If twelve indict and eleven acquit, ["inclining for ill" not obtaining with one, they add judges]; and even if eleven acquit and eleven indict, and one says: "I do not know"; and even if twenty-two acquit or indict, and one says: "I do not know," they add judges. [For the one who says "I do not know" is accounted as not being there, and capital cases, whether for acquittal or for indictment, are not adjudicated with fewer than twenty-three.] Until what number are additional twos added [if the two (most recently) added "split," one here (for acquittal); the other there (for indictment), so that there is still no inclining, neither for good by one, nor for evil by two]? Until seventy-one. If thirty-six acquit and thirty-five indict, he is acquitted. If thirty-six indict and thirty-five acquit, they debate the matter until one of the indicters accepts the words of the acquitters [so that there is inclining for good by one. The same applies if one of the acquitters accepts the words of the indicters. For the ruling is that at the time of the conclusion of the judgment even one who held for acquittal may reverse himself for indictment. As to its not being taught "until one of the acquitters accepts the words of the indicters," the tanna "pursues acquittal."]

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