Metric Martyrs score victory - preemptive jury nullification
Metric Martyrs have declared another victory for 'metric martyrs' everywhere after further charges against Janet Devers, a Hackney market trader who sold her produce pounds and ounces were dropped. (We first covered the story here.)
Those charges would have brought Janet before a jury, but Hackney Council have just announced that it was withdrawing from the case in the wake of overwhelming public pressure. That is a form of preemptive jury nullification, of which William Penn, William Meade, Edward Bushell and more recently Sarah Palin have been the heroes.
Jury nullification, the great, largely unknown right of jurors, is to declare a defendant innocent because they believe the law is unjust or unlawful.
This petty and ridiculous law is unconstitutional, but Janet has already suffered harassment, arrest, a £5,000 fine and a criminal record in a trial before Magistrates. She is appealing that conviction. Her money should be restored to her and her criminal record erased.
Thanks to the Magna Carta Society for the news.
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