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<div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jul 5, 2010 at 9:56 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">Jury nullification (i.e., nullification of the effect of a law in a particular case) occurs when the jury acquits a defendant of a charge of which s/he is guilty because they determine that the application of the law in this case would lead to a greater injustice (e.g., a fugitive slave law; censorship laws; and most non-violent drug cases today).<br>
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<div>That's essentially correct.</div>
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<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote">The defendants here did cause the damage with which they were charged but they pled in effect extenuating circumstances: e.g., if you justifiably shoot someone about to attack your family, you should not be convicted of murder or manslaughter, but that would not be a case of jury nullification. </blockquote>
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<div>That would be self-defense, an actual legitimate legal defense to the taking of another human life. But in the case we're talking about, the defendants were acting not in self-defense but on behalf of unnamed others not even located in England. Thus the jury, in order to vote their conscience, had to nullify the law which the defendants broke.</div>
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<div>I think jury nullfication is a wonderful thing, and should be utlized much more often.</div>
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<div class="h5">On 7/5/10 9:37 AM, Robert Naiman wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote">A case could be made that this isn't so much an example of jury<br>nullification as of a jury taking seriously its obligations under<br>
international law.<br><br>On Mon, Jul 5, 2010 at 4:46 AM, John W.<<a href="mailto:jbw292002@gmail.com" target="_blank">jbw292002@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote">Looks like a clear example of jury nullification, which we have discussed<br>from time to time....<br><br>
<br>On Sat, Jul 3, 2010 at 3:23 AM, C. G. Estabrook<<a href="mailto:galliher@illinois.edu" target="_blank">galliher@illinois.edu</a>><br>wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote"><br> 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<br>Brighton<br> arms factory to prevent Israel war crimes in Gaza in January 2009,<br>have<br>
now found all seven activists not guilty of Conspiracy to Cause<br>Criminal<br> Damage by unanimous verdict in Hove Crown Court.<br><br> The seven entered the factory on 16th Jan 2009, causing nearly<br>£200,000 of<br>
damage and shutting down production. They offered no defence other<br>than<br> the prevention of imminent war crimes.<br><br> Simon Levin, Tom Woodhead, Ornella Saibene, Bob Nicholls, Harvey<br>Tadman<br> were all acquitted on Wednesday.<br>
<br> The final two Elijah Smith and and Chris Osmond were acquitted this<br>morning.<br><br> Chris Osmond said "This action was taken was taken because of EDO<br>MBMs<br> illegal supply of weapons to the Israeli military. We brought the<br>
suffering<br> of ordinary Palestinians into a British courtroom and confronted with<br>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<br>actions<br> of the decommissioners were a legitimate response to the atrocities<br>
being<br> committed in Gaza. I do not advocate non violent direct action<br>lightly;<br> however in this situation it is clear that the decommissioners had<br> exhausted all democratic avenues and, crucially, that their actions<br>
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<br>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><br>
</blockquote><br>_______________________________________________<br>Peace-discuss mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net" target="_blank">Peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net</a><br><a href="http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss" target="_blank">http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss</a><br>
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