September 5th is Jury Rights Day

“On this day in 1670, Quaker William Penn of London was arrested, pled not guilty, and subsequently argued against England’s Conventicle Acts, which outlawed the practice of religions other than the Church of England.

The judge instructed the jurors to find Penn guilty. The jurors’ refusal to enforce a bad law led to the court jailing and withholding food and water from the jurors.jury rights day logo

Some of the jurors appealed their fines and imprisonment. The higher court confirmed the right of the jurors to base their verdict on their best judgment and conscience. Even though there was a law against freedom of religion, the high court held that juries could not be required to enforce any law they thought was wrong.

This higher court ruling established that jurors cannot be punished for their verdict. It also set a foundation for our rights of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly.”

This practice is particularly relevant to us today as fellow citizens are being put in jail for victim-less crimes relating to Cannabis. The Human solution is “a support group who helps non-violent cannabis defendants and POWs and provides community education about cannabis and hemp.” The CPC supports the celebration of Jurors rights, especially spreading awareness around Jury nullification. If you support these issues connect with your local chapter of The Human Solution.