Question: Can the Judge in the George Zimmerman case throw out the verdict if the Jury finds George Zimmerman Guilty?
Yes, but that has nothing to do with jury nullification. Judgment notwithstanding a verdict is probably what you’re thinking of, or a directed verdict if the jury has not yet deliberated.
A trial judge can not throw out an acquittal.
What is jury nullification? When the jury’s verdict (either way) is clearly contrary to the evidence and the law…or does it only apply to findings of not-guilty?
Did they coin the term? Clearly that is part of their agenda.
What do you call a situation where the defendant is not guilty but the jury wants to punish him anyway?
How do we really know what the jury believes anyway? Maybe they are just morons no matter how clear the facts, law and instructions are.
The Simpson jury comes to mind.
It’s a jury of your peers. Just sayin.
Google William Penn. (Heard of "Penn"sylvania?)
He was charged for preaching against the Church of England and the crown. The pesky jury refused to convict him. The judge ordered the jury to be locked up too, until they came back with the “right” verdict. Hue and cry and many appeals ensued. Eventually, the jury was released, their verdict stood, and the precedent was established that the decision “not guilty” by a jury of your peers meant exactly that - 12 random people from the community were the last protection against unfair laws and unfair application of the laws.
Of course, jury nullification has gotten a bad name since the days of Jim Crow, when it was often not unusual for white people to be acquitted of crimes against black people. The bit missing from that discussion, of course, was “peers” - oddly, the juries that acquitted were most likely all white.
Therefore, to convict someone, the state must (if the defendant chooses) present the evidence to a jury of “average citizens” and convince them that in fact a crime has been committed.
A necktie party?
What are you “just sayin” exactly?
That the distinction between “average citizen” and “moron” may be difficult, at times, to observe.
Who was it that said - A jury is 12 people too stupid to get out of jury service.