Fully Informed Jury Association

FIJA Director Iloilo Jones will be interviewed on the Jury on American Freedom Radio on Tuesday, 23 March 2010 from 10:30-11:00 am Mountain Time. Listen online or click through the link to find the program on select local stations. And if you have a jury-related question, the call-in number for the show is 1-866-238-2120.

The National Forensics League has announced the following Lincoln Douglas debate resolution for March/April 2010:

Resolved: In the United States, the principle of jury nullification is a just check on government.

The debate geeks on our staff and the rest of us are thrilled to see this topic being debated by young people across the country! As you will see from browsing around our website, we have a lot of resources here for you to learn about the purpose of a jury and about jurors’ rights and responsibilities in delivering justice. But we thought we’d highlight a few things to help you get started:

• Definition of ‘jury’, Webster’s 1828 Dictionary of the English Language (off-site)
• Quotations and Comments on Fully Informed Juries (off-site)
• Jury Nullification: Empowering the Jury as the Fourth Branch of Government, Justice William Goodloe (Word file)
• An Essay on Trial By Jury, Lysander Spooner, particularly Chapters I and X (off-site)

Please also check our Media Catalog for additional essays, books and other materials which we do not have on-line but which you can order from us. And you can give us a call at 1-800-TEL-JURY to request a free Jury Power Information Kit. When you call, be sure to let us know that you are a debater!

Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

“Last week, admonishing his colleagues, who had just turned away an important search-and-seizure case, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, effectively pronounced the Fourth Amendment dead. After the court signed off on police search of an apartment without a warrant, probable cause or reasonable suspicion, Kozinski said, “Whatever may have been left of the Fourth Amendment … is now gone.”

http://www.tuccille.com/blog/2010/02/judge-reads-elegy-for-fourth-amendment.html

http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2010/02/18/08-50403.pdf

Listen live tomorrow at 1:00 pm MST as Halli Stone interviews FIJA Director Iloilo Jones regarding the purpose, function and duties of a jury on BlogTalkRadio’s Halli and Friends. We’re not sure if they’ll be taking calls, but click through the link and you will find a call-in number that you might try if you have a question. If you cannot listen live tomorrow, you can also follow the link to listen to an archived episode of the show at your convenience.

“As would be expected, this new legislation outraged abolitionists, but also angered many citizens who were previously more apathetic.

In 1851, 26 people in Syracuse, New York were arrested, charged and tried for freeing a runaway slave named William Henry (aka Jerry) who had been arrested under the Fugitive Slave Act. Among the 26 people tried was a U.S. Senator and the former Governor of New York! In an act of jury nullification, the trial resulted in only one conviction, “Jerry”who was hidden in Syracuse for several days until he could safely escape into Canada.”

From: “Robert Dreyfus”
Date: February 15, 2010 6:44:07 AM MST
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>
Subject: Fw: WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE


WE HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER HEARD THE TERM JURY NULLIFICATION, OR UNDERSTOOD THEIR RIGHTS CONFERRED BY THIS DOCTRINE, ARE NOW AWARE, AND ABLE TO EXERT THEIR RIGHTS FOR WHICH SO MANY HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH.

A front page article that appeared in Sunday’s Ocala Star Banner featured the work which Sovereignty Action has done in the distribution of fliers to prospective jurors.

We plan to continue distributing the fliers at the courthouse from 7:30 – 8:30 AM. Normally this is done on Monday mornings, but since the courthouse is closed tomorrow, we will distribute the fliers on TUESDAY.

Many people will read this article. However, some people only read the sports section. THEREFORE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FURTHER BUILD ON THE IMPETUS WHICH THIS ARTICLE HAS GIVEN THIS ISSUE, AND CALL RADIO
TALK SHOWS.

HERE ARE SOME TALKING POINTS, AND IF YOU WANT FURTHER INFORMATION GO TO WWW.FIJA.ORG

TALKING POINTS FOR CALL IN TALK SHOWS ON JURY NULLIFICATION:
When you call in don’t bother with saying, How are you etc. Get to the point by saying something like this:

“It concerns me that we are losing many of our liberties and many people are ignorant of our basic rights. This is particularly true when it comes to Jury Nullification which is a major protector of our liberty. Jury Nullification is the right of a juror to determine not only the guilt or the innocence of a person, but also the duty, the right and the responsibility of a juror to determine whether or not the law which they are accused of breaking is a just and a Constitutional law.

Let me explain: An example is; If a defendant is charged with breaking a law, let’s say he’s charged with carrying a weapon which is his right under the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. He might be guilty of breaking the law, but since the law itself is unconstitutional a juror should vote him innocent since the law is a bad law and is  unconstitutional.”

IF THE TALK SHOW HOST DISAGREES, STATE:
WELL THEN YOU DISAGREE WITH Supreme Court Justice John Jay who has stated that “Juries have the right to take upon themselves to judge both the law as well the facts.” Or Thomas Jefferson who said, “I consider trial by jury as the only anchor by which Government can be held to the principles of the Constitution.” and you disagree with the rest of the Founding Fathers. I respectfully suggest that you learn more about this issue.

Bob Rose 6:06 – 9:00 AM – WSKY 97.3FM – 1-877-975-9825
Chip Morris & PC 3:00 – 6:00 PM SAME #
Larry Whittler 1370AM 7 – NOON WOCA 622 9622

I WISH TO THANK THOSE MEMBERS OF SOVEREIGNTY ACTION WHO HAVE BRAVED THE WEATHER AND GIVEN THEIR TIME AND ENERGY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS EFFORT TO REGAIN LIBERTY.

Email received from a Florida FIJActivist…

From: “Robert Dreyfus”
Date: February 14, 2010 12:12:13 PM MST
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>
Subject: AN EASY PROJECT TO PROTECT LIBERTY

TO THOSE RECEIVING THIS INFO:
I consider each of you to be an activist.  I hope you will take time  to read the attachment, and if you think it has merit will  distribute it to others throughout the nation.

May God Bless You & Protect the Republic
Robt. Dreyfus

A ONE HOUR/WEEK PROJECT TO PRESERVE LIBERTY

Jury Nullification is a major protector of our liberty.
Unfortunately few people are familiar with this doctrine.

The following flier, news release, letter to editor, talking points and information on how to deal with resistance gives everything you need to make a significant impact for freedom.  Moreover, it only takes one hour/week of your time, very little energy or money to be successful.

Click here to read the full document.

Commentary by Michigan FIJActivist Rose Lear at http://hellomichigan.blogspot.com

If you have been watching Glenn Beck everyday at 5:00 pm EST, you would hear Glenn telling you that you need to go back and study the TRUE history of our Country.

After Glenn Beck’s behavior today on his radio show, his blatant ambush of Debra Median, I’m seriously thinking that he needs to be taught a lesson. Like maybe a drop in ratings.

Normally, I would just post a video or articles here for you to read because I’m not really any type of journalist or authority of anything. I’m just a Grandmother and was a Stay At Home Mom for most of my life. But I have found that I had a very different education as a child than most of my peers. I attended a private Catholic school that taught us the history of our country, something that our public schools weren’t doing and aren’t doing today.

Our children and grandchildren aren’t being taught the history of our state and federal constitutions. They aren’t being taught Civics that include Jury History and Jury Duty. Instead, their learning about Marilyn Monroe and I wouldn’t be surprised if at some point, Anna Nicole Smith.

The Tenth Amendment Center published and article yesterday that I hope everyone will take time to read.   “The Untold History of Nullification: Resisting Slavery”. Continue Reading »

Photos of activists in Grafton County, New Hampshire handing out FIJA literature this month.
Great work guys and gals!

FIJA Grafton County – December 2009

If you are inspired to do this in your own town, take a look at the links at the top of the page for the Media Catalog, the Library, and tips on Activism.

by Russ Emal at LewRockwell.com

Is it true or false that when you sit on a jury, you may vote on the verdict according to your own conscience? “True,” you say, but then why do most judges tell you that you may consider “only the facts” and that you are not to let your conscience, opinion of the law, or the motives of the defendant affect your decision?

In a trial by jury, the judge’s job is to referee the trial and provide neutral legal advice to the jury, beginning with a full and truthful explanation of a juror’s rights and responsibilities.

The Constitutional Right to a Jury Trial

For Publication and General Distribution -11/20/09

I’m sure many liberty activists out there share the same realization as I do that the federal government, the Federal Reserve, Wall Street, the banks, and the big corporations are all collaborating to centralize, collectivize, and control all aspects of American life and are doing so to the detriment of individual liberty. As was the case leading up to the original American Revolution, this unnatural situation is driving many modern day Americans into poverty by making it impossible for them to make a basic living for themselves and their families, or to even maintain basic sustenance.

As more and more of us become affected by this tyranny, there will be times when an individual has some success resisting it. It then becomes important that he or she share the methods of such resistance so others can duplicate it. That’s the purpose of this communication. I’ve had my liberty and rights assaulted and so far I’ve fought off the attack. Here’s how I’ve done it. Maybe others like you can do the same if your life, liberty or pursuit of happiness is similarly threatened. Continue Reading »

Take one lunch break a week for liberty. Get your exercise by taking a walk around the neighborhood on your lunch break, and help protect your rights at the same time. Is your workplace near a state or federal courthouse? That’s even better! Just take a handful of pamphlets with you and share them with those you pass along your route.

You can download brochures from our Library or order them from our Media Catalog. These brochures are great ways to help your neighbors learn about their rights and responsibilities when serving as a juror:

• Who Owns Your Body? (pdf)
• Jury Protection for the Second Amendment (pdf)
• Your Jury Rights: True or False? (pdf)
• A Primer for Prospective Jurors (pdf)

You may also want to review our flyer on Distributing FIJA Literature in Front of Courthouses (PDF) and Professor James Duane’s video Don’t Talk to the Police . Your vote as a juror is your most significant and influential vote.

When you serve as a juror, your vote is one of only twelve and is meaningful in protecting another person and yourself as well from government abuse of human rights.

This is a must read to understand the Seventh Amendment and the role of the Civil Jury.

The Civil Jury: The Disregarded Constitutional Actor

November 12, 2007
U of Cincinnati Public Law Research Paper No. 07-30

Abstract:
This lecture “The Civil Jury: The Disregarded Constitutional Actor” argues that the significant division of power between the judiciary and the jury should be recognized alongside the separation of powers between the branches and the federalism division between the federal government and the states. While the jury is a separate constitutional actor with important powers, the judiciary and the legislature have not recognized it as such. This has led to the constitutionalization of modern procedures which take away the jury trial right before, during and after trial, including through remittitur, summary judgment, the motion to dismiss and federal caps. This jurisprudence on the civil jury exhibits an odd alignment under which so-called liberal justices may hold a jury trial right does not exist, whereas other so-called conservative justices may hold such a right exists. This appears to result from the tendency of liberal justices to shun originalism, even in the context of the Seventh Amendment where originalism is constitutionalized in the text. Here, the liberal justices should embrace originalism. Moreover, the lecture argues that all of the Justices should recognize the significant division of power between the judiciary and the jury by eliminating modern procedures which impinge this division of power.

Veteran libertarian civil rights activist Julian Heicklen calls it “an out-and-out kidnapping” when Homeland Security Police forcibly transported him to a hospital where he was injected with Thorazine against his will.

Read the rest of this article by Garry Reed at the Libertarian News Examiner.

Check the forum for upcoming events in your area, or contact the office. There are many FIJA event, speakers, tables, materials distributions, and other activities in conjunction with Tea Party, Fourth of July, Freedom March, and other events around the nation. Join in and be a part of history!

If you are planning an event, please post it to the forum as well, so others can join you and support your efforts.

Thank you!