How will YOU celebrate Jury Rights Day?


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Three Ways to Celebrate

Jury Rights Day!

Hello John,

FIJA has celebrated Jury Rights Day on September 5 each year for more than 30 years to commemorate the famous case of William Penn in 1670 which laid the foundation for the right that jurors have still today to conscientiously acquit someone by way of jury nullification.

Jury Rights Day coincides with Labor Day this year, but that does not mean you can't celebrate and create more fully informed jurors! Here are 3 easy ways to celebrate Jury Rights Day this year:

1. Join us for our Jury Rights Day webinar!

What IS a Fully Informed Juror? ([link removed])
Monday, 5 September 2022
noon Eastern     11:00 am Central
10:00 am Mountain     9:00 am Pacific

Register for the Webinar ([link removed])

When we think of fully informed jurors, most of us in the FIJA family first think of jurors who understand the concept of jury nullification and know how to successfully use it when it is just to do so—despite the roadblocks thrown in their way by judges, prosecutors, and other government officials. But is there more that today's jurors should know that might affect their decision whether or not to exercise their right to nullify?

In this special Jury Rights Day webinar, we'll start with a brief discussion of jury nullification to ensure everyone understands the basics. Then we'll cover a variety of other topics today's jurors should be aware of when deciding on a verdict. Among these topics will be:
• how prosecutors and judges cheat those accused out of their supposedly Constitutionally-guaranteed right to a trial by jury and what the accused risked to exercise that right,
• how three strikes and other mandatory minimum laws mean that jurors could unknowingly
• what sentencing for acquitted conduct means and how it can undermine jurors' not guilty verdicts if they find the accused guilty of any of the charges against them
• how prosecutors and judges bully people into forfeiting their right to trial by jury through the abusive plea bargain process,
• and more!

If you aren't able to make it, please register anyway. Assuming no technical glitches, the webinar will be recorded and a link to it sent to you afterward. (Yes, I'm a little behind in getting previous videos posted, but I'll be spending most of the Labor Day weekend squaring that away.)

2. Hold a movie night!

If you're booked during the day, but plan to kick back in the evening before heading back to work or school on Tuesday, why not relax with one of our recommended movies? Whether you prefer classics, modern dramas, documentaries, or foreign films, there's something on the list for you.

I just checked through all the links to their respective IMDB pages as streaming availability changes regularly. Good news! You can find most of these streaming online either for free or for a small rental fee.

If you're interested in a double header, there are two pairings in particular that I enjoy. A Henry Fonda double feature of Twelve Angry Men and The Ox-Bow Incident shows a nice contrast between justice with juries and "justice" without them. Pairing up Twelve Angry Men with the South Korean film entitled The Juror (which was inspired by Twelve Angry Men!) makes for a nice comparison of a long-standing jury system and one that is less than 20 years old, how American and South Korean concepts of justice are similar and different, etc.

Click here for films to watch on Jury Rights Day, ([link removed])

3. Share a quote on social media!

Are you active on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media? We have made it easy for you to spread the word about Jury Rights Day and the famous trial it commemorates by sharing a quote or two from the record William Penn made of his own trial.

Select quotes are available in a variety of graphic formats for download or text that you can simply copy and paste to the social media platform of your choice. A brief explanatory note posted along with the quote would not go amiss!

We also have a link on this page to Penn's transcript of the trial if you'd like to read these quotes in context. It's actually kind of a wild story!

Click here for quotes to share on Jury Rights Day. ([link removed])

However you will be celebrating Jury Rights Day and/or Labor Day, I wish you a safe and happy holiday weekend!

For Liberty, Justice, and Peace in Our Lifetimes,

Executive Director
Fully Informed Jury Association





P.O. Box 5570 | Helena, MT 59858 US

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