Montana Jury Lights a Fire Under Pro-Pot Cause

[Jim Finnel]

A jurors' revolt in a Missoula, Mont., marijuana case has become a nationwide rallying cry for the drug’s legalization, The New York Times reports. The so-called mutiny in Montana scrambled the trial of a repeat offender charged with selling and possession, and was heralded by weed fans as proof of America’s increasingly pro-pot proclivities.

Five jurors at the opening of defendant Teuray Cornell’s trial last week said they questioned such marijuana prosecutions, prompting the prosecutor to drop the misdemeanor possession charge and cut a plea deal with Cornell on the felony selling charge.

Juror revolts are on the rise in marijuana cases across the country, said the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance.

Marijuana partisans point to 46 percent of Californians having voted in November to legalize the drug, and to a Gallup poll from October in which 58 percent of Western state residents favored legalization.

But the tide hasn’t quite turned. On Tuesday the Oakland, Calif., City Council shelved plans to license medical marijuana farms after prosecutors warned that city officials could face charges.


NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: newsmax.com
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Website: Montana Jury Lights a Fire Under Pro-Pot Cause

 

[Jacob Bell]

Not one comment on this story?!! I read this news article in 3 different websites, news sites, newspaper sites. I was overjoyed to read it!! It's about fricken time!! People might actually wake up, and began to realize that we DO have power! Real power! If we believe the law unjust, we say so!! Just like this jury did! So if you ever get jury duty, do it! Just refuse to convict, and try to sway your other jurors. (for pot that is, not murder lol)

 

[Jim Finnel]

Its had some comments in other threads. I agree with you this is great news. Imagine this spreading.

We've been posting about jury nullification for years here at 420Mag.

Remember this lesson everyone!

 

[RoguePoet]

I don't understand the bit about the guy still having to take a plea on the selling charge...I mean, if they can't sit a jury, doesn't the case get thrown out?

 

[Jim Finnel]

I don't understant the plea either. Public defender?

 

[24kanthony]

They can seat a jury, they will just have to screen more and more people until they can find ones who are willing to hear the case "without a bias".
That will take more time, and time = money and people in the justice system hate having to cancel vacation time (which they take a lot of).

They took the easy way out and let him take a slap on the wrist plea so that they could get the case out of the way.

 

[whiteraven86]

Everyone should read then get everyone you can contact, to read the Anslinger Gore files. The marijuana laws are based on racism. Since world wide evidence is mounting on the medicinal benifits od cannabis, the Supreme Court ruling that cannabis has no medical benefit, should be overturned and Cannabis reclassified as a "schedule III" substance.