Two Words that erase bad laws: Jury Nullification
Submitted by economics31 on Sun, 05/04/2008 - 12:01
It has an interesting history of helping to end the witch hunts, slavery, and prohibition. http://www.fija.org/
http://www.juryduty.org/
I didn't know what it meant until I got picked for Jury Duty. I made a big stink during the jury selection process about unfair drug laws and that I would not follow the law as the judge instructed me the law was to be followed. I was going to follow the law as I read the law. I was very nervous and scared. I didn't know if I was going to be charged with contempt of court or something else. The judge was telling me that "I was to follow the law as he said it was" and I was saying "No I Am Not Going To Blindly Follow What You Say". Needless to say I got booted from the jury, but later found out that I was performing Jury Nullification.
It is the duty of the Jury to not only interpret the law and judge the truth of the testimony, but also to judge the law. Your duty as a juror during a trial of your peers is to determine if the law even applies to the case and/or is a just law. For example, some states have laws against gay sexual conduct. Would you convict someone for being gay if you were on that jury? Another example, some states have laws against raw milk sales. Would you convict someone from buying milk directly from a farmer? You would convict if you blinding follow the law as the judge instructs. You might even give them the electric chair if they were gay raw milk hippies living in a commune in Texas who didn't vaccinate and used gold to buy their groceries and smoked pot on Sunday morning while singing hymns. You would let them go if you followed the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. The whole purpose for the trail of your peers is to be the ultimate final check and balance against an overbearing government.
Educated juries can overturn hundreds of years of bad laws overnight. The problem is that the legal system will not inform us of this awesome power. There have been several court decisions about jury nullification over the years supporting our ability to perform nullification if we know about the process. Unfortunately, it's one of those hidden items that's not talked about.
Ron Paul On Jury Nullification PLEASE PUMP, PUMP, PUMP!
Here is an in-depth discussion on the Constitutional Right to Jury Nullification; Ron Paul is the main quest. Hope this helps;
Part#1 http://youtube.com/watch?v=pA4GKG__B-s
Part#2 http://youtube.com/watch?v=tRdse8zBzyI&feature=related
Part#3 http://youtube.com/watch?v=tRdse8zBzyI&feature=related
Here is another excellent video clip on Jury Nullification
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pVGPPD8xPbU
For more information on the right to use Jury Nullification in any trial, go to You Tube, and just type in “jury Nullification".
PLEASE PUMP, as this will STOP the corrupt lower court appointed judges, from violating the Constitution, they swore to uphold.
We need to establish a National Jury Nullification Awareness Day! Would like to hear some thoughts on this idea.
I hope this has been helpful,
hjschaapman
hjschaapman
Top Law School
My son is at a top law school and he was told they don't teach students about jury nullification. I tell everybody I meet about jury nullification. Jury nullification is a power tool for the revolution. We the people have the power, we just need better information. Thanks for bringing up the topic. If you know anybody studying at law school ask them about jury nullification and report back. Let's keep this topic on the front burner.
This is what's so great about the Ron Paul revolution. Before Ron Paul, I had no idea what a letter of marque and reprisal was. I'd never heard of jury nullification. I have a lot to learn, but it all gets more exciting by the day.
What did he say was their
What did he say was their reaction about Jury Nullification?
jury nullification...
was a standard part of the process under common law (intended to weed out bad laws), but is not allowed under maritime law. at some point our common law, where one is pretty much free to do as they please so long as they do no harm to anyone, was replaced by "civil" or maritime law, where there are 60 million laws, codes and regulations and just about anyone can be charged with some "crime against the state" if the state so chooses. our legal system has essentially been hijacked to benefit the state rather than the citizens, it is nothing less than institutionalized grand theft, it is rule of men not rule of law... the irony is that our "modern" justice system is actually modeled after the roman civil code, and people accept it as progress! (a nation of sheep)
I should add...
this is the reason why government officials of all stripes can operate above the constitution as if it didn't exist (and use the power of government to control behavior that is deemed as unacceptable), and why you have no constitutional rights in any court where you see the flag with the gold fringe around it (it is an admiralty flag, indicating jurisdiction of maritime law)...
If our court system will not
If our court system will not educate jurors about jury nullification, then I suppose it is now our responsibility to do so.
Spread the word!
This is the biggest problem with Jury Nullification, as I see it
Honest potential jurors who know their rights are INVARIABLY booted from the pool. The only way to make it onto a jury - where nullification might come into play - is to LIE about your beliefs (and lying is hard for honest people to do). I know, because this happened to me as well, the last time I was called for jury duty. The prosecution doesn't WANT honest, knowledgeable people on juries. They only want mindless drones who will follow orders. Fortunately for them and their racket, there seems to be NO END of those kinda people to choose from...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/liberty_outlook/
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"Let them protest all they want, as long as they pay their taxes.” ...credited to Al Haig, Ronald Reagan's Secretary of State.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/liberty_outlook/
http://www.dailypaul.com/blog/1125
Ron Paul=Red Pill
My wife's mom is a minister
My wife's mom is a minister and she told me that clergy are almost never chosen for Juries because they put the Bible in front of the law. Most courts frown upon that kind of logic.
The other thing is that lying during jury selection and then using jury nullification could get you charge with contempt of court.
Yep, it's a rigged game, for sure...
And that's why "the rule of law" in this so-called "free country" deserves absolutely ZERO respect. It's nothing but a bad joke - on us...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/liberty_outlook/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Let them protest all they want, as long as they pay their taxes.” ...credited to Al Haig, Ronald Reagan's Secretary of State.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/liberty_outlook/
http://www.dailypaul.com/blog/1125
Ron Paul=Red Pill
The biggest problem is the People don't know their BIBLE!
Your right xntryk1, but the Bible ALSO says not to throw your perils before swine (corrupt federal and state judges who refuse to have the truth revealed).
The Bible clearly tells us NOT to always tell the swine of this world what you believe (truth), for they will trample it in the mud. The Bible refers to these people as swine!
We need to establish a National Jury Nullification Awareness Day! Would like to hear some thoughts on this idea.
hjschaapman
hjschaapman
Similar Experience
I went through the same thing about 15 years ago in Texas. A young man had been arrested for "fleeing from detention". He wasn't resisting arrest because there was no crime except for not wanting to talk to the police.
Turns out in Texas (at least the Houston area) a law was passed that nullified habeas corpus. The police were empowered to detain people indefinitely so the police could ascertain if the detainee had knowledge of a crime.
During the jury selection process, the defense attorney and I had a very lengthy conversation on exactly this point. At one point I was ordered to the bench so the judge could ask if I could convict considering my view of the law. He simultaneously gave me the instruction that I must follow the law.
The Judge recessed the court for lunch. Upon returning he told the attorneys they would each have only 5 more minutes for jury selection. The defense attorney simply asked, "Who here thinks the police can pick you up, detain you and question you for an indefinite period of time even though you are not a suspect in a crime?” I was the only one who raised his hand. Everyone (attorneys, judge, jurors) looked at me like I was crazy. I explained I didn't agree with the law but they had just spent the whole morning explaining to me that is the law.
Needless to say, the prosecution struck me. I don't know how the trial ended but at least I got a room full of people to listen.