HUGE NEWS: Jury Nullifies Felony in Cannabis Grower’s Trial!

by | Sep 14, 2012 | 9 comments

Pot LeafIn a developing story that has hit Reason.com, an NH jury has acquitted a man facing a felony for growing cannabis! It’s our first real-life case of jury nullification here in NH and the jury nullification law hasn’t even gone into effect yet. Kudos to the judge for reading a fair and easy-to-understand jury instruction about nullifying as an option! Also, it probably helped that a free stater was on the jury!

If you are an self-described anarchist or agorist and you are not registered to vote, you need to remedy that now. Being on the voter’s rolls means you could be chosen as a juror, which means that even if you never actually cast a vote in an election, you could cast a vote on a jury that could stop someone’s life from being ruined. Here is the proof. Is there still any doubt the Free State Project is working? If you haven’t made the move, what are you waiting for?

Here’s the story from Reason, which includes the judge’s instruction to the jury:

A few months ago, New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch signed a bill declaring that “in all criminal proceedings the court shall permit the defense to inform the jury of its right to judge the facts and the application of the law in relation to the facts in controversy.” Although the new law does not take effect until next January, a case decided yesterday in Belknap County illustrates the importance of the nullification power it recognizes. A jury unanimously acquitted Doug Darrell, a 59-year-old Rastafarian charged with marijuana cultivation, after his lawyer, Mark Sisti, argued that a conviction would be unjust in light of the fact that Darrell was growing cannabis for his own religious and medicinal use. More remarkably, Judge James O’Neill instructed the jury that “even if you find that the State has proven each and every element of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you may still find the defendant not guilty if you have a conscientious feeling that a not guilty verdict would be a fair result in this case.” (more…)

CNN’s iReport Covers Ademo’s Pending Trial

by | Aug 4, 2012 | 0 comments


Ademo Freeman continues to attract more eyes to his case. Yesterday a letter from him transcribed at nevertakeaplea.org was published. He affirmed that he would not be accepting a plea deal to safely avoid jail or prison time, and that he will trust a jury of his peers not to convict him for his victimless attempt to create transparency.

…by the time this is published to CopBlock.org and other blogs, I’ll have refused Michael’s offer and here’s why. First, I can’t go against my principles and sign a deal that says I acknowledge my actions as wrong or illegal. Second, I’m not a hypocrite. How can I advocate refusing plea deals and sign one myself? I don’t judge anyone who has taken pleas because each case/charge is different. Third, I am confident I can show a jury, with facts and logic, that I shouldn’t be caged for my actions.

Appearing today on CNN’s iReport blog is an entry about Ademo’s upcoming trial, which is scheduled to take place in Manchester in just over a week. (more…)