Now we know Why New Hampshire’s Motto is “Live Free or Die” September 25, 2012
Posted by tkcollier in In The News, philosophy & politics.Tags: Constitution, Law, New Hampshire
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Earlier this month, a Belknap County Superior Court jury found a Barnstead man innocent of felony drug charges after the judge instructed jurors they could decide that acquittal was “a fair result,” even if the state had met the burden of proof.
It’s a legal concept known as jury nullification, a power that experts say has resided in the U.S. Constitution since the nation began but is rarely applied in modern courtrooms.
And it’s the basis for a new state law that permits the defense in all criminal cases “to inform the jury of its right to judge the facts and the application of the law in relation to the facts in controversy.” Thanx to Vermonter Carlton Plamer
via Lawyers: ‘Nullify’ to be common refrain in criminal court cases | New Hampshire NEWS03.
The top 10 myths of jury trials April 6, 2008
Posted by tkcollier in Lifestyle.Tags: Law
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SPEAKOUT: Debunking the top 10 myths of jury trials : rockymountainnews.com
Interesting points on Justice in America from a top Trail Consultant, #2 caught my eye. Click more to see all of them. 2. Innocence will protect you in a criminal trial.
Regrettably, this is usually not the case. Specifically, for anyone who faces a jury, there is roughly an 85 percent chance that the trial will end up with a conviction. Tim Masters just might have something to say on this subject. Studies indicate that from 7 percent to 10 percent of those in prison today are actually innocent persons who got caught in this process. (more…)
