Jury Nullification

[Davey Crockett]

Jury nullification is when a jury votes "not guilty" even though they believe the defendant broke the law. This can happen when jurors disagree with the law, the punishment, or the application of the law in a particular case.
How it works
Jurors use their own sense of justice to decide not to convict
They may want to send a message about a larger social issue
They may believe the law is unjust, overly harsh, or improperly applied
Legality
Jury nullification is not an officially sanctioned legal right
Courts don't usually instruct jurors on their ability to nullify
Some judges may discourage it
History
Jury nullification was more commonly accepted in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries
The power of jury nullification was curtailed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
The practice was controversial again during the political trials of the 1960s

 

[Davey Crockett]

Jury nullification is actually the most fundamental natural right of Americans back at the founding of our nation.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Fully Informed Jury Association

The strength of the US jury system is that jurors can ignore a judge's orders and whatever the prosecutor's wet dream du jour happens to be. Obviously, this is not a popular concept amongst judges and prosecutors.