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Thursday, December 23, 2010
Drug War Mutiny
A sort of jury nullification:
The tiny amount of marijuana police found while searching Touray Cornell’s home on April 23 became a huge issue for some members of the jury panel.
No, they said, one after the other. No way would they convict somebody for having a 16th of an ounce.
In fact, one juror wondered why the county was wasting time and money prosecuting the case at all, said a flummoxed Deputy Missoula County Attorney Andrew Paul. District Judge Dusty Deschamps took a quick poll as to who might agree.
Of the 27 potential jurors before him, maybe five raised their hands. A couple of others had already been excused because of their philosophical objections.
“I thought, ‘Geez, I don’t know if we can seat a jury,’ ” said Deschamps, who called a recess.
And he didn’t.
The Prohibitionists are slowly losing the Drug War, by a simple process of attrition.
Posted by Richard Anderson on December 23, 2010 | Permalink
Comments
So much money, time and resources for so little. It is the same with road side seat belt checks, ensuring that truck drivers are not smoking in their cab and a lot more. Perhaps this explains the claim that more money and more resources are always needed to deal with crime, assuming that it really is crime.
Posted by: Alain | 2010-12-23 6:36:17 PM
assuming that it really is crime.
Posted by: Alain | 2010-12-23 6:36:17 PM
Oh so right Alain. I'm sure that Shane will straighten us out though. After all...the damage done to society here is almost beyond belief.
Merry Christmas.
Posted by: peterj | 2010-12-23 10:35:12 PM
One case doesn't go to trial, and you claim a victory? In that case, what do you call the defeat of Proposition 19—"the end of all things, Sam?"
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2011-01-05 11:12:33 PM
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