Judge Thomas A. Wiseman, Jr. Quote

"[T]o deny a defendant of the possibility of jury nullification would be to defeat the central purpose of the jury system."

by:	Judge Thomas A. Wiseman, Jr. (1930-) American jurist, Senior United States District Court Judge for the�Middle District of Tennessee
Source:	U.S. v. Datcher, 830 F. Supp. 411, 415 (M.D. Tenn., 1993) case dismissed Sept. 1, 1994, 6th Cir. Ct. Of Appeals, Case No. 3:92-00054 certiorari denied U.S. Supreme Court Case No. 94-8767, May 15, 1995.
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Categories:	Constitution, Jury, Rights, Security
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Reader comments about this quote:

-- Mary - MI
-- Robert, St. Emilion, France
-- Mike, Norwalk
Absolutely. What really irks me is that as hard as it is for a case to go to trial (because most defendants plead to a lesser offence rather than face having the book thrown at them in court), is that the judge may ask the jury "Have you come to a unanimous decision?" And if they say they did not, then the judge declares a mistrial, and they can try the case again. While in fact, only a guilty verdict requires a unanimous decision -- anything else is "NOT GUILTY," period. -- E Archer, NYC
Thanks, E Archer. -- jim k, austin tx