LPNH EC Passes Resolution Supporting Jury Rights

Feb 18, 2017 | Press Releases

By a vote of 5-0, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire Executive Committee adopted a resolution in support of a bill to inform jurors of their rights to nullify unjust laws. LPNH Chair, Darryl W. Perry says, “It’s important for jurors to fully understand their ability to acquit a defendant who has been charged with an offense that has no victim.” Adding, “no man has a moral obligation to obey an unjust law, and no jury has an obligation to convict someone of an unjust law!”

The LPNH resolution applauds the NH House of Representatives for passing HB133, calls upon the NH Senate to pass HB133, and calls upon Governor Chris Sununu to sign HB133 should it come before him for a signature.

The resolution reads:

Whereas jurors have the right to judge the facts and the application of the law in relationship to the facts in controversy; AND
Whereas if a jury finds that based upon the facts of this case a guilty verdict will yield an unjust result, the jury may find the defendant not guilty; AND
Whereas jurors should be fully informed of their rights as a member of a jury;
Be it therefore resolved the LPNH Executive Committee applauds the NH House of Representatives for passing HB133, which reads, in part:

At the request of the defendant or the defendant’s attorney, the court shall instruct the jury as follows: “If you have a reasonable doubt as to whether the state has proved any one or more of the elements of the crime charged, you must find the defendant not guilty. However if you find that the state has proved all the elements of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you should find the defendant guilty. Even if you find that the state has proved all of the elements of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you may still find that based upon the facts of this case a guilty verdict will yield an unjust result, and you may find the defendant not guilty.”

AND
Be it therefore resolved the LPNH Executive Committee calls upon the NH Senate to pass HB133, AND
Be it therefore resolved the LPNH Executive Committee calls upon Governor Chris Sununu to sign HB133 should it come before him for a signature.

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LPNH

We are the Executive Committee (EC) of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire. We were elected by our members and support the organization and further its interests to the best of our ability.

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