I’m in my late 60’s and trusted our legal system to be reasonable and basically fair in most instances, however during the last few years I have observed otherwise in several cases.
I personally know of one individual who was dismissed from jury duty for professing his belief in the Fully Informed Jury Act.. Also I’m sure of collusion between attorneys and the judge in several, more personal cases, but impossible to prove. I was concerned that a letter, to the Bar Association, complaining about the matter would possibly have negative results in the future, should I be in court for some other reason. I have no reason to believe that I will be in court, but everyone should be concerned about any injustice occurring in our legal system.
The jury is the highest law of the land.
Corrupt, self-serving, egotistical and/or ignorant people can become judges, legislators, administrators or bureaucrats. They can make illegal, immoral, incomprehensible and unworkable laws. However, established over 400 years ago is the precedent that a jury of your peers can decide you do NOT deserve punishment for those people’s bad behavior.
Jury nullification TRUMPS ALL bad laws and bad legislators. If a jury of your peers decides that your community is better off with you working for a living, supporting and loving your family than having you in prison, they can and must DO THAT. Regardless of what the judge or legislators say, if the jury says “go home”, then you go home.
The jury of your peers ALWAYS has the right and the charge to decide if you need to be punished or set free.
For more on this topic, please go to: http://www.fija.org/