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Showing Original Post only (View all)San Diego Mayor Urges Jury Nullification for MJ Dispensary Case [View all]
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Filner-Urges-Jury-Nullification-In-Medical-Pot-Dispensary-Case-208246501.htmlSan Diego Mayor Bob Filner has injected himself into a federal criminal case against the operator of a medical marijuana dispensary, intensifying his standoff with federal prosecutors on cannabis enforcement issues.
Filner's urging jurors who'll be chosen for the trial to reject federal law in favor of state statutes under a centuries-old legal concept known as jury nullification"-- whereby jurors can refuse to convict people under laws they believe should not be applied.
"This is way overdoing it when local laws, state laws allow compassionate use of medical marijuana, Filner told reporters at the downtown U.S. District Court complex Monday. Someone should not be going through this stage of prosecution for trying to help people to have access to medical marijuana."
Filner spoke after attending a pretrial hearing for Ronnie Chang, a San Marcos man busted along with more than a dozen marijuana collective and dispensary operators countywide in late 2009.
Filner's urging jurors who'll be chosen for the trial to reject federal law in favor of state statutes under a centuries-old legal concept known as jury nullification"-- whereby jurors can refuse to convict people under laws they believe should not be applied.
"This is way overdoing it when local laws, state laws allow compassionate use of medical marijuana, Filner told reporters at the downtown U.S. District Court complex Monday. Someone should not be going through this stage of prosecution for trying to help people to have access to medical marijuana."
Filner spoke after attending a pretrial hearing for Ronnie Chang, a San Marcos man busted along with more than a dozen marijuana collective and dispensary operators countywide in late 2009.
If you are called for jury duty on a marijuana case, you can choose not to enforce federal law. You can inform your fellow jurors of the possibility of jury nullification and refuse to convict based upon corrupt, outdated, racist-inspired law.
The more this happens, the sooner we will be rid of current federal prohibition.
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And thats why the Fully Informed Jury Association exists! www.fija.org
TampaAnimusVortex
May 2013
#44
If you believe that the law is unjust, you wouldnt get on the jury. The prosecutor will ask you
rhett o rick
May 2013
#7
He doesnt have to make a big issue out of it, just tell Holder to back off. I doubt it would be
rhett o rick
May 2013
#32
Sorry my point wasnt better presented. If Pres Obama was in favor of letting the states
rhett o rick
May 2013
#43
I guarantee that will happen in this case. But it's not necessary. The prosecutor will always
rhett o rick
May 2013
#13
I agree but the discussion was about "jury nullification". I dont think that's an option. Sure you
rhett o rick
May 2013
#33
If you believe the law is unjust, then you would be lying if you said you could convict.
rhett o rick
May 2013
#37
What the judge will say is that if the prosecutor proved that the defendant was
rhett o rick
May 2013
#40
So, in your opinion, the crime has one and only one element? That's not how it works.
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2013
#41
"So, in your opinion..." What? Are you telling me what my opinion is? We are way off the original
rhett o rick
May 2013
#42
Jury nullification has a long history in this country, including helping to defeat the Fugitive
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2013
#52
There is a question mark after the sentence because a question is being asked. I'm asking for your
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2013
#49
That sounds wonderful, however, explain how jurors with that in mind get past
rhett o rick
May 2013
#59
Explain how someone gets seated on a jury if they believe the law is unjust. The prosecutor will ask
rhett o rick
May 2013
#61
Again, what would a prospective juror (that thinks the law is unjust) say when asked
rhett o rick
May 2013
#79
At the federal level, the judges commonly ask the questions of prospective jurors, not prosecutors.
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2013
#77
Because I'm a fair and open minded person, I would like to volunteer for jury duty.
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2013
#18
Southerners have engaged in jury nullification on and off for years. Failing to convict a white
byeya
May 2013
#23
Jury nullification began much earlier in the North when juries refused to convict under the Fugitive
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2013
#53
Ed Burns, Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos, Richard Price, David Simon and William F. Zorzi Jr
RainDog
May 2013
#24
So smoking a little weed warrants trashing the first amendment. I wonder what Geo.Washington
byeya
May 2013
#38
The DOJ guidelines for the discretionary enforcement of the law can be found here:
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2013
#54
Adhering to current law also lets criminals walk free and sends innocent people to jail
RainDog
May 2013
#75
What, that juries should uphold the law? I'm sorry you think that's "strident".
Donald Ian Rankin
May 2013
#71