One of the powers jury nullification gives American jurors is the ability to excuse defendants who have legitimate reasons for the crimes they have committed. Jerold Lindner v. William Lynch is an example of excusing a would-be convict[1]. William Lynch was accused of assaulting a retired priest, Jerold Lindner. Lindner had allegedly sodomized William Lynch when he was seven years old, as well as Lynch's little brother and many other children. Lindner was never convicted because the statue of limitations had run out for his illegal offense. Lynch attacked Lindner in his retirement home, and was charged with assault and elder abuse. Lynch, in spite of overwhelming evidence proving his guilt, was not convicted, and his trial ended in a hung jury. Linder's unpunished crimes made at least some of the jurors see Lynch's assault on Lindner as justifiable, prompting them to nullify the case.
Another example of jury nullification for someone with a legitimate excuse is the case of Doug Darrell v. New Hampshire[2]. Darrell reportedly had been growing marijuana on his property in New Hampshire and was charged with cultivation. Darrell, a Rastafarian, views marijuana usage as a sacrament in his religion. The jury had decided that Darrell, although guilty of the crime, did not deserve to be convicted for his religious beliefs, and nullified the case. Jurors do have the right to nullify any case they see fit, yet some oppose the power nullification provides jurors. Many lawmakers are against jury nullification, and many judges currently inform juries that it is their responsibility to uphold the law, no matter what their opinion of that law[3]. However, some American jurors have opted to use jury nullification to uphold justice, acquitting guilty defendants who had legitimate reasons for violating the law.
[1] Egelko, Bob. "Jury Nullification can Highlight the Law's Flaws". Hearst Communications, Inc., n.p. Web. 9 July 2012. 19 October 2013.
[2] Doug Darrell v. New Hampshire. New Hampshire State Court. 14 September 2012. Web. 19 October 2013.
[3] Linder, Doug. "Jury Nullification". Law2.umck.edu, n.p., 2001. Web. 20 October 2013.
[2] Doug Darrell v. New Hampshire. New Hampshire State Court. 14 September 2012. Web. 19 October 2013.
[3] Linder, Doug. "Jury Nullification". Law2.umck.edu, n.p., 2001. Web. 20 October 2013.