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The Jury Rights Project is dedicated to:
- educating jurors about ther right to acquit people who
have been accused of victmless crimes and thereby veto bad
laws
- protecting jurors from judicial and prosecutorial tyranny
- educating citizens about the history and power of juries
- distributing current news related to jurors and juries
The Jury Rights Project (JRP) was founded in Colorado to
defend the 1000-year-old tradition of trial by jury. The JRP
is dedicated to educating citizens about the importance of
juries and the rights of jurors.
The JRP is committed to preserving and enhancing the rights
of jurors to be the voice of the community without fear of
retribution. Through education, the JRP will empower citizens
to defend their 6th Amendment right to trial by jury, which
includes the right to serve on a jury as well as the right
to be judged by an impartial jury of your peers.
The JRP formed in response to the case of Laura Kriho, a
Gilpin County juror who was maliciously prosecuted after she
was the lone holdout juror on a drug possession case. Kriho
was convicted of
contempt of court, after four months of deliberation by the
judge, for failing to volunteer information about her political
beliefs and knowledge of the Constitution during jury selection.
Kriho's conviction is an unprecedented assault on jury rights
and the independence of juries from judges. It has national
ramifications for potential jurors and for defendants and
plaintiffs seeking a fair and impartial jury. Jurors will
now be reluctant to deliberate freely and will fear to vote
against the majority lest they be investigated and prosecuted
later. A fair trial is impossible if the jurors are serving
under the threat of prosecution.
The Jury Rights Project seeks to enhance the justice system
by educating citizens about jury issues and by supporting
legislation that empowers juries and their rights.
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