we'd still have the death penalty if juries didn't act on their consciences

Which isn't to say they *should* acquit people based on that, rather than based solely on the evidence before them, but they can, and do, and that should be celebrated as a strength of the jury system.

The concerning (to me) aspect of all of this is why these placards were being held up:

"She protested after a judge imposed restrictions on defendants in a series of climate trials that prevented them from mentioning climate change, insulation, fuel poverty or their motivations for taking action during their trials. The civil rights group Liberty labelled the restrictions “deeply concerning”.

Several people who ignored the judge’s restrictions have been jailed for contempt of court."

It is, to me, utterly bonkers that the defendants weren't able to address the jury how they wished in their own defence.

Posted By: CWC, Sep 19, 16:26:53