Too many of the potential jurors said that even if the defendant, Elisa Meadows, was guilty, they were unwilling to issue the $500 fine a city attorney was seeking, said Ren Rideauxx, Meadows’ attorney.

  • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Vote with your principles. If I don’t agree with a law, I’m not going to vote to convict someone of it. Like vice laws; as long as anyone involved consents, I don’t think it should be punished. If I’m on a jury, then I have the power to affect that in that case. I’m not going to vote to punish someone because I wasn’t able to do so for other cases. Sure, it would be better to get rid of vice laws and you might not agree with me. But I’m only going to vote to punish someone if I think they should be punished, regardless of what any laws say.

    • Pips@lemmy.sdf.org
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      10 months ago

      What happens when the person’s principles include hating women and believing that in violent crimes with a female victim, she must have done something to provoke it in every instance so if the defendant is a male, he should never be found guilty? People who believe this actually exist and might be otherwise eligible to serve on a jury. Should they be allowed to nullify because they think a man should never be punished for assaulting a woman?

      I know it’s an extreme example but it’s not a slippery slope because stuff like this actually happens. It’s wild and is the reason why many lawyers and judges really dislike jury nullification.

      • hex_m_hell@slrpnk.net
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        10 months ago

        What happens when the person’s principles include hating women

        You’re describing cops.

        I was shot by a fascist. 11 people believed the evidence, one person was also a fascist. Did anyone need to tell the fascist about jury nullification? No. They don’t care about the law and never have. That’s the point. They already do it all the time. You should know that you can do it too.