Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Shaking Up The System! Prof. Paul Butler On Jury Nullification...

Video: Racially Based Jury Nullification - Professor Paul Butler On 60 Minutes


Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes investigates Professor Paul Butler's theory of jury nullification outlined in his article Racially Based Jury Nullification: Black Power in the Criminal Justice System, published in the Yale Law Journal.

Since the production of this piece in 1995, Professor Paul Butler has modified his original thesis and now advocates what he calls "strategic jury nullification 2.0." Professor Butler argues that the criminal justice system is broken, not just in regards to African-American defendants, but indeed to all of society. In his book, Let's Get Free, Professor Butler criticizes America's "lock 'em up" culture, and he argues that, before voting to convict, jurors should always consider the fairness of the law under which the defendant is prosecuted and the societal costs of incarceration. Specifically, he argues that jurors should nullify when the defendant is charged with a non-violent and victimless crime, such as drug possession or drug dealing between consenting adults.


Video: Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher - Racially Based Jury Nullification With Professor Paul Butler


On this segment from Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, Professor Paul Butler of George Washington University School of Law discusses racially based jury nullification.


For more information on Professor Butler's book, Let's Get Free: A Hip-Hop Theory of Justice, visit http://www.letsgetfreethebook.com

For more information on jury nullification, visit http://jurorsforjustice.com

For more information on Professor Paul Butler, visit http://www.professorpaulbutler.com

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