
On this episode of Donahue, Professor Paul Butler of George Washington University Law School discusses his theory of strategic jury nullification as outlined in "Racially Based Jury Nullification: Black Power in the Criminal Justice System," his article published in the Yale Law Journal. He is joined by Emerson Elliot (President of New Jersey's Fully Informed Jury Association), Keith Waters (President of the National Bar Association), and Amy Jackson (Former DC Prosecutor). 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. This is the first segment of this episode. For the second segment of this episode, click here: www.youtube.com For the third segment of this episode, click here: www.youtube.com For the fourth segment of this episode, click here: www <b>...</b>
Jury Nullification
Professor Paul Butler
Paul Butler
criminal law
justice
race in America
Professor
Paul
Butler