Edit: search bar research has shown that some jurisdictions make it very difficult to nullify. I don’t want to doxx my county, but if anyone knows a source for by county jury rules I would be grateful.
It’s for the county. I have no idea what it’s for or anything. Never had to do it before.
As a comrade, there many types of cases where being on the jury are an opportunity for praxis on both the side of nullification and going balls to wall for a conviction depending on whatever the case is.
It’ll be a major pain in the ass given the commute, but I’m lucky in that my employer pays me my full wage for days served on jury. So I really don’t have an excuse outside of avoiding the commute to try and avoid it. Especially since I could have an actual say and impact on something that matters.
I am well aware of how to avoid it, but does anyone have advice on how to get selected if it’s something a comrade should try and get on the jury for m / try and sus out what the case is before deciding whether I should try and get out of it?
I was under the impression that, aside from like confessing murder, you can’t be asked about basically anything said in the juror chambers? Or maybe this is a UK thing.
Correct. Deliberations are secret.
However, if, during deliberations you argue based not on the evidence but solely on your disagreement with the law, other jurors may send a note to the judge stating that a juror is refusing to follow the instructions, and then, outside deliberations, in the courtroom, the judge may interrogate the jury and has the power to dismiss a holdout juror if that juror admits to ignoring the law.
To try to avoid this, one should as a juror only discuss a not guilty verdict from within the framing of reasonable doubt. It’s the better approach to never ever mention the idea or even concept of jury nullification at all ever. Not during jury selection, not during the trial, not during breaks, not during deliberations, and definitely not if speaking to the judge for any reason.
Of course a single holdout juror (or really any non-unanimous decision) will only result in a mistrial which will result in a retrial in which you will certainly not be on the jury.
IANAL