Can a jury be both a shield for liberty and a bastion of prejudice?
In short: This lecture by Thomas Grant QC examines the 'perverse jury'—the phenomenon where citizens intentionally acquit defendants because they view the law itself as unjust. It explores whether this power is a vital safeguard of freedom or a dangerous opening for systemic bias.
The presentation analyzes the dual nature of the jury system. On one hand, it serves as a bulwark for individual liberty by allowing for 'perverse' verdicts in cases where the charges are deemed morally wrong. The lecture highlights high-profile examples of such acquittals, including Kempton Bunton in the 1960s and the cases of Clive Ponting, as well as Randle and Pottle.
Conversely, the lecture addresses the jury's role as a potential vehicle for prejudice, noting how white juries in the United States habitually acquitted white defendants in instances of race violence. These tensions raise critical questions about whether the right to deliver a perverse verdict should be restricted or if the system requires fundamental reform.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Political Jury
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