<div>Looks like a clear example of jury nullification, which we have discussed from time to time....</div>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jul 3, 2010 at 3:23 AM, C. G. Estabrook <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:galliher@illinois.edu">galliher@illinois.edu</a>></span> wrote:</div>
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<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote"> Weapons decommissioners found not guilty<br><br><br> 2 July 2010 (11:am)<br><br> Hove Crown Court, Brighton UK<br>
<br> Final two Decommissioners Found NOT GUILTY!<br><br> The jury in the trial of seven activists who decommissioned a Brighton<br> arms factory to prevent Israel war crimes in Gaza in January 2009, have<br> now found all seven activists not guilty of Conspiracy to Cause Criminal<br>
Damage by unanimous verdict in Hove Crown Court.<br><br> The seven entered the factory on 16th Jan 2009, causing nearly £200,000 of<br> damage and shutting down production. They offered no defence other than<br>
the prevention of imminent war crimes.<br><br> Simon Levin, Tom Woodhead, Ornella Saibene, Bob Nicholls, Harvey Tadman<br> were all acquitted on Wednesday.<br><br> The final two Elijah Smith and and Chris Osmond were acquitted this morning.<br>
<br> Chris Osmond said "This action was taken was taken because of EDO MBMs<br> illegal supply of weapons to the Israeli military. We brought the suffering<br> of ordinary Palestinians into a British courtroom and confronted with the<br>
evidence they took the brave decision to find that our actions were<br> justified"<br><br> All have now been found not guilty by unanimous verdict.<br><br> A press conference will take place at:<br><br>
1m at<br><br> Mary Magdalene Community Centre<br> 55 Upper North Street<br> Brighton<br><br> Messages of support have already arrived from Caroline Lucas, MP for<br> Brighton Pavilion, and Noam Chomsky.<br>
<br> Caroline Lucas said:<br><br> 'I am absolutely delighted that the jury has recognised that the actions<br> of the decommissioners were a legitimate response to the atrocities being<br> committed in Gaza. I do not advocate non violent direct action lightly;<br>
however in this situation it is clear that the decommissioners had<br> exhausted all democratic avenues and, crucially, that their actions were<br> driven by the responsibility to prevent further suffering in Gaza.'<br>
<br> Noam Chomsky said<br><br> 'I would like to express my respect and admiration for those who are<br> undertaking non-violent resistance to oppose British participation in<br> Israel's cruel crimes in Gaza.'<br>
<br> News site Ynetnews.com reports that the Israeli Ambassador in London is<br> 'furious.'<br><br> <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3914014,00.html" target="_blank">http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3914014,00.html</a></blockquote>