Friends continue to uphold jurors’ rights
'The freedom to reach independent decisions was established and involved William Penn and William Meade who were on trial.’
Quakers are continuing to uphold the right for jurors to make decisions based on their conscience.
Joolz Saunders, from Wells-next-the-Sea Meeting, has cited the case of Trudi Warner, a retired social worker, who faces a possible two years in prison for holding a placard. In March, Trudi Warner stood outside a court in London where climate protesters were on trial, holding up a sign reading: ‘Jurors: you have an absolute right to acquit a defendant according to your conscience.’
Joolz Saunders said: ‘I hope all Friends will sign [the petition] to support Trudi Warner. The freedom to reach independent decisions was established and involved William Penn and William Meade who were on trial.’
A jury’s right to acquit was established in 1670, after a judge imprisoned a jury for reaching a verdict he would not accept. The incident gave rise to a new ruling that juries have the freedom to reach decisions independently.
The Good Law Project, which is supporting Trudi Warner, said: ‘We believe the potential proceedings against Warner form part of the Government’s chilling campaign to crack down on peaceful protest. Threatening Warner with contempt of court undermines the role of juries and attacks the right to free speech – two fundamental pillars of democracy in Britain, which defend us from authoritarianism.’
Some Friends have also put their names to a letter from the organisation Plan B, declaring British courts ‘sites of civil resistance’. The action comes after a series of courts denying climate activists the chance to explain their actions., ruling their motivations were not relevant. The letter, from ‘34 responsible citizens’, reads: ‘Suppression of evidence has been driving the climate crisis and undermining democracy for decades. By failing to safeguard the public and by enabling the destruction of our families, homes and communities, the British courts turn themselves into a site for civil resistance. We’re ready to face the consequences for upholding the law, in solidarity with all those who are criminalised for speaking the truth about injustice.’
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