Jury Nullification: Political Advocacy vs. Lawlessness

Jury nullification describes the process in which members of the jury disregard either the instructions of the judge or the evidence presented in order to reach a verdict reflective of their own consciences. This seemingly technical process has become a controversial form of political advocacy that some have recognized as an effective mechanism for addressing change through the legal system. Recently, a vocal advocate of jury nullification was indicted for interference with the jury decision making process, as covered by the New York Times here. While grounded in the technicalities of the court, jury nullification raises some important questions about how jurors should be making their decisions and what role political advocacy has in the court room.

Symposium keynote speaker Paul Butler has wrote extensively on the concept of race-based jury nullification. To find out more about Professor Butler's "Martin Luther King jurors" before his talk on Sunday, check out his interview with NPR, his Huffington Post article "My Jury Service to America," or his book Let's Get Free, which is on display in the Davis Family Library lobby.

Paul Butler's keynote address, "A Hip Hop Theory of Justice: Race and the American Justice System," will take place at McCullough Social Space at 7 pm on Sunday February 27th and is open to the public.