Editor’s note: Although this case is now over two years old, it showcases the power citizens have through the jury nullification process.
A New Hampshire Rastafarian facing felony marijuana cultivation charges was declared not guilty on Friday because a jury believed that punishing him for the offense would be unjust.
59-year-old Doug Darrell was arrested in 2009, after a National Guard helicopter flying over his home found he was growing 15 marijuana plants in his backyard, according to WNTK. At Darrell’s trial, PRWEB reports, jurors nullified the case against him.
Jury nullification occurs when a jury concludes that a defendant is technically guilty, but fails to convict the defendant on the grounds that the law in question is unjust. While jury nullification is legal, judges frequently do not inform juries of this power, and may prohibit defense attorneys from doing so, according to the University of Missouri.
Read more on Huffington Post
Learn more about Jury Nullification from the Fully Informed Jury Association.