Andrew Napolitano - The First Jury Nullification

[fzqlcs]

jury nullification is a useful concept for those who see justice as a result, not a process.

[globalexplorer]

Jurors are the final arbiters of the law.

[matthewbartke]

What is funny is that when I went to jury duty, the judge told us all that we basically weren't allowed to have our own opinion on if a law was right or anything, just whether they're guilty or innocent of the law. 

[CannonCanGrow]

The judge need to run for the president. He Got my vote.

[exilfromsanity]

Actually jury nullification goes far back in common law.
During Cromwell's English Commonwealth in the mid 1600s  adultery was punishable by death. But, as Winston Churchill wrote in his "History of The English Speaking Peoples", "This severity was mitigated only by the fact that no jury could be found which would convict." In other words the common people who served on the juries thought the law was wrong and nullified it by invariably returning a not guilty verdict.

[jeffreymakas]

So sad looking back on the fact we could have had him as a vice president serving with Ron Paul.

[JayDee-bzge]

Sharing exposing this information is as important, or even more important to the direction of our country than who you vote for president...

[qhack]

I do hope that LibertyPen got permission from CPG Grey for the use of his graphic at the end there.

[wesmatron]

It happened before that. There were old trials in England where people stole food for their children and were spared the gallows by a jury

[RebelRadius]

Of all the most virtuous ways to extol freedom, handin gout pamphlets and teaching people about jury nullification, has got to be the top billing (in my opinion).  BTW, the judge gives me goose bumps and I recognise the music.  Ah, the Gypsy Kings :)  Excellent post as always.

[dinae]

Hello can you tell me the exact month & date you told this story on 7 years ago ?

[ktynan]

The 1812 example, while interesting, is certainly not the first example of jury nullification. It is predated by jury nullifications in the Philadelphia Treason Trials during the American Revolution, the acquittal of John Peter Zenger in in colonial New York in the 1730s, the acquittal of William Penn in 1670 in England, and the acquittal of John Lilburne in England in 1649 and 1653. Lilburne's acquittal is the earliest documented example of jury nullification that I am aware of.

[edwardburroughs]

Interesting anecdote. The war of 1812 was a stalemate, was it not? Also, I thought we (the British) were attempting to secure territory in what is now Canada?

[jimflask]

Statute : British regulation or order. - blacks law dictionary 7th edition page 1442

[markstuber]

His first sentence is wrong.   We went to war against the Barbary Pirates during the Jefferson administration.   Every hear the phrase "to the shores of Tripoli"?

[Lurker]

The Judge is a great storyteller. He should write some Legal thriller
to counter John Grisham leftism.