[lbo-talk] Jury nullification

R rhisiart at charter.net
Wed Jun 25 13:04:43 PDT 2003


----- Original Message ----- From: John Thornton To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 7:35 AM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Jury nullification


>That way we don't get, for example, the manifest injustice of one drug
>dealer walking because of a jury of people like you while his
>co-conspirator is boiled alive because the jury is of a different
>composition. If you don't like the law -- the rules the legislature adopts
>-- try to have them changed. This isn'! t rocket science. It's elementary
>democracy.
>
>jks

So then you're arguing that Noel received the same punishment for her drug offense that I would? Of course not. The prosecutor has lots of leeway in deciding how HE wants to proceed. Jury Nullification is a check on the power of the legislature. It is very democratic. If you want to serve on a jury it's probably best to keep ideas of how individuals can empower themselves quiet.

John Thornton

very good advice. judges in Los Angeles County will throw a person off a jury if they believe that person is simply open to jury nullification. they and DAs also attempt to browbeat, intimidate and badger jurors into "following the law" only. jurors have gotten into serious legal trouble if, after a verdict is renderd, they admit to the judge they used jury nullification. jury nullification advocates handing out pro nullification leaflets outside courts, on public property, have been arrested.

although i'm not current on it, i believe there have been attempts to outlaw jury nullification in various parts of the united states, some of which succeeded. this ain't a democracy, folks. people opposing the country's largest unregulated monopoly should very carefully consider what they do and when they do it; legal professionals know the ins and outs of the law and we don't.

i'm surprised michael pugliese hasn't posted this internet address. :-) http://www.fija.org/ the jury nullification advocacy group. a search of jury nullification in google, et al, gives many interesting leads on the subject, for those who want to dig further.

R

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