Thursday, July 19, 2012

Maybe the West Isn't Dead: Small Steps Forward

I wasn't intending another one of these so soon, but I just recently found out about this tid bit of information, and I am pleased as punch about it. Reason reports that last month New Hampshire passed and signed a law where that lets defense advocates inform the jury of their right to jury nullification; essentially where juries refuse to convict because they feel that the law is unjust.  This is big news.  The Supreme court has upheld jury nullification, however, they have also ruled that prosecutors and judges can screen out jurors if they believe that the juror intends to try and nullify standing law. And that sitting judges are under no obligation to inform jurors of their rights regarding jury nullification.

This is great news since jury nullification is a tool that citizens themselves can use to help combat laws that they feel are unjust.  While it drug usage is the most obvious example of where this will be used; I can see this possibly coming into play for anything ranging from gun rights to sound money.  Makes sense that the home of the Free State project would pass forward thinking laws, never thought I would use the word forward thinking since its the favorite phrase of progressives, that give more power to its citizens.

I've never seriously considered living in the east coast for the most part.  The western states, excluding the pacific coast, are generally more freedom loving and small government minded. However, New Hampshire is starting to look pretty attractive.

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Seattle resident whose real name is Kevin Daniels. This blog covers the following topics, libertarian philosophy, realpolitik, western culture, history and the pursuit of truth from the perspective of a libertarian traditionalist.