Lawmakers Give Jury Nullification a Boost
A new bill in New Hampshire will require state courts to inform juries that a defendant who has been shown to have committed a crime may be declared “not guilty” if a guilty outcome would “yield an unjust result” reports WND.
Image Credit: Beth Cortez-Neavel (Flickr)
The concept known as jury nullification means that suspects can walk free even if all elements of the crime have been proved.
The plan was approved 184-145 by the New Hampshire House of Representatives, will have the courts inform jury’s:
“Even if you find that the state has proved all of the elements of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you may still find that based upon the facts of this case a guilty verdict will yield an unjust result, and you may find the defendant not guilty.”
The Free Thought Project praises the bill, saying: “Perhaps New Hampshire can remind the nation that we are not bound by the dictates of government, and we still have the power to protect our fellow citizens from state-sanctioned injustice. “
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