Case Dismissed!

Yesterday, Federal Judge Kimba Wood dismissed the jury “tampering” indictment against a peaceful jury nullification advocate. Julian Heicklen, an 80‐​year‐​old retired chemistry professor, had been indicted for standing outside a Manhattan federal courthouse handing out pamphlets explaining the legal theory that jurors who disagree with a law may acquit a defendant accused of violating that law.


Whew! It’s safe to hand out pamphlets again.


Rachel Barkow, law professor at New York University, says, “I don’t think sensible prosecutors should have even brought this case.” Right, but since this case was publicized, we know there’s no sensible supervision of these prosecutors either—so the problem is deeper.


Previous coverage here.