What is Jury Nullification?

[heatherrr323]

Should the jury be able to return a verdict based upon their own sense of justice, regardless of what the law says?

[pink-kittens]

Is this your homework?
Should you not be doing it for yourself using your books?

[spheric]

You've asked two questions, and your second question seems to indicate you have a good grasp of the answer to the first.

I firmly believe that one of the greatest benefits of a jury trial is that it allows a small amount of flexibility that doing things by-the-book does not.

If someone has technically broken the law, but clearly does not deserve to be punished, then I'm all in favour of a jury finding them not guilty.

People with perhaps a greater belief in the justice system may say that someone who doesn't deserve to be punished could still be discharged absolutely by a judge at sentencing, but I argue that in these days of CRB checks, the conviction itself has become a punishment, making jury nullification a tool of even greater importance.