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Old 03-24-2011, 09:39 AM
nogods nogods is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yaktamer View Post
People that advocate jury "nullification," while often well-intentioned, sometimes don't realize that what they are really advocating is lawlessness and something that is actually contrary to the principles upon which our country was founded. Do we really want to live in a society in which jurors can simply choose to ignore laws that they don't agree with? Why have a legislature at all?
Jury nullification is a very important part of our jurisprudence, exemplified by the Peter Zenger case. The "King" has discretion about which laws it will enforce and which people it will prosecute. Our tradition of jury nullification lets the "People" rebuke the "King."

If I had to choose between the right to vote and the right to a Jury trial, I'd keep the right to a jury a trial.

Quote:
Originally Posted by yaktamer View Post
And if I can choose to acquit because I don't like the law, what's to keep me from convicting an innocent person because I don't like what he did, even if not a violation of the law?
A jury can acquit for any reason or no reason, but a jury can only convict in accordance with the law. Jury nullification simply doesn't apply to a conviction.
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