Dear John,
On September 18th of 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, forcing authorities in free states to arrest suspected escaped slaves on little more than sworn testimony. Massive fines were to be imposed on any official that abided the amnesty laws in free states, and anyone aiding a fugitive was subject to imprisonment. Since the law provided no due process or a trial for those targeted, many free blacks would be kidnapped and enslaved for the first time.
In response, the great libertarian Lysander Spooner was defiant, writing in A Defense For Fugitive Slaves, that widespread resistance would be hard to stop and, "There is a probability that a grand jury will not indict, for it is not their duty to do so, if they think the law, that has been resisted, is unconstitutional."
Putting aside whether such refusals to indict constitute jury nullification or just a recognition of factual innocence, this wave of interest in the right to nullify is surely positive, and FIJA has been proud to answer questions and serve as a resource. We've launched a redesigned website, organized pamphleting in numerous states for Jury Rights Day, and designed a new brochure that gives more information on how grand jurors can resist prosecutors.
But FIJA is not financed by big billionaires or NGOs. Since 1989 we have depended upon a network of small donors like you. After the passing of Kirsten Tynan in March of 2024, FIJA has a lot of ground to recover.
FIJA's basic operating expenses are currently not being covered by donations. But if every person who has donated to us in the past gave just $10, it would preserve our library of resources on jury nullification and help us actively spread Spooner's message.
