Hacker News Reader

I'd be curious to see an explanation of why just knowing about jury nullification would disqualify you from being on a jury - obviously if you intend to nullify or "helpfully" inform the other jurors about nullification you should disclose it and therefore be disqualified, but I do not see how knowledge of nullification counts as something that should disqualify you if you have no intention of nullifying.

View on HN

There’s generally very loose discretion to eliminate potential jurors. Often without providing any reason at all.

A prosecutor, given the option and knowledge of the situation, would never willingly have a person on the jury that knows they could totally disregard the criminality of the charges at hand.

That works for the defense as well -- they're allowed to object to jurors too, for the same reasons: potential biases, ability to see through sophistry, etc.

I didn't say it would legally disqualify you, just that it would prevent you from doing jury duty properly.

In what way though?

Knowing that I could nullify does not in any way prevent me from properly concluding a verdict based on the laws that are in place.

It's only if I choose to actually nullify that I'm not doing jury duty properly, but the knowledge of nullification as far as I can understand in no way prevents me from doing jury duty properly.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com