Free Talk Live

"Because jury nullification potentially interferes with the enforcement of the law as written, courts may feel threatened by it." New Hampshire’s model jury instruction 3.17 lays out the power of jury nullification. In its model instructions to jurors, it reads, “Even if you find that the State has proven each and every element of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you may still find the defendant not guilty if you have a conscientious feeling that a not guilty verdict would be a fair result in this case.”

Rastafarian was growing pot "his own religious and medicinal use."
The judge made himself a hero and stated his intent to be the first judge in New Hampshire to grant the instruction on Nullification to the jury.
Thanks to the Free-Staters in the legsilature, starting on January 1, 2013, *ALL* defendants in NH will have the *RIGHT* to insist their jury hear these instructions.
Want to see fully-informed juries stop the drug war, the way they stopped alcohol prohibition? Come to New Hampshire!

The appeals court also found that restricting distribution of literature to jurors summoned for jury duty was legally permissible, and that Schmidter’s conviction for contempt on those grounds should be upheld. Schmidter was re-sentenced today to serve 145 days in the Orange County Jail, and was immediately taken into custody.

Jury nullification, a legal concept that dates back to 17th century England, remains perfectly lawful in the United States, according to a ruling by a federal judge last month.
U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood said 80-year-old Julian Heicklin, who was arrested by FBI agents for passing out pamphlets marked "Jury Info" from an organization known as the Fully Informed Jury Association to an undercover agent, was within his legal rights under law to do so. Prosecutors had argued that Heicklin was in violation of U.S. law, which prohibits influencing jurors through written communication.

A jury found an Ottawa Hills police officer guilty Friday night of felonious assault with a firearms specification for a shooting during a traffic stop last year.

The case went to the jury on the fourth day of Officer Thomas White's trial for felonious assault with a firearms specification in the shooting of Michael McCloskey, Jr.

...found in contempt of court for refusing to stand for the judge and jury.” Ali claimed that she had a right to a religious exemption...“Evidently, the Defendant’s professed religious beliefs did not prevent her from standing when she was introduced to the prospective jurors.”

Today, the Eighth Circuit reversed the contempt citations....

This "story" perfectly illustrates spontaneous jury nullification in the wild and calls it "jury mutiny." Nullification is never mentioned.

With a majority of Americans now saying they don't think pot should be illegal, the prosecution demanded that the jury entertain no effort to practice nullification. Prior to opening arguments, the judge dismissed six potential jurors– including five of the first 13 interviewed– for revealing a disinclination or refusal to convict someone of pot possession.

What does a man who attempted to pay a juror $2,500 for a “not guilty” verdict have in common with a 79 retired college professor who handed out information on jury nullification to people entering a court house? This is not a trick question, both men have been charged with “jury tampering.”

Julian Heicklen was indicted of jury tampering last year and now faces federal charges. Heicklen, a 79-year-old retired chemistry professor, has often stood outside various courthouses holding a “Jury Info” sign and handing out brochures that inform jurors of their rights.