Thought Experiments on The Violence of The State

Michael Suede of LibertarianNews.com has some excellent thought experiments on the violence of the state:

-Your mother grew illegal vegetable matter and gave it to her sick friend. If found guilty, she faces 1 year in jail and a 1000 dollar fine. – would you convict her?

-Your mother is the CEO of her privately owned corporation and she hid corporate income in order to avoid taxation. She used the money she kept to help you pay for your college. If found guilty, she faces 5 years in federal prison and a 100,000 dollar fine. – would you convict her?

-Your mother owns a restaurant and she agreed to allow a 15 year old waitress to work overtime during the summer so she could save money up for a car. She is guilty of violating child labor laws. If found guilty, she faces 6 months in federal prison and a $10,000 fine. – would you convict her?

-Your mother installed an addition to her home without asking the State permission before doing so. She is guilty of failure to obtain a building permit. She was supposed to pay a $6,300 fine for avoiding the permit, but refused to do so based on principle. She doesn’t feel she should have to ask the State permission before adding on to her home. Now she faces criminal contempt charges. If found guilty, she faces 6 months in jail and a $10,000 fine in addition to the $6,300 dollar fine for avoidance. – would you convict her?

-Your mother hired a nanny to help raise you. You absolutely loved the nanny and view her as a second mother. Your mother paid her under the table and the nanny was in this country illegally. Your mother faces tax evasion charges and labor law violations for hiring an illegal. The nanny has already been deported. If found guilty, your mother faces 5 years in prison and a $100,000 dollar fine.

-Your mother purchased a handgun for your father from a friend because they live in a high crime California neighborhood. Their landlord happened to spot it laying out one day and called the police. It turns out the handgun was not on the approved gun list and was not registered. If found guilty, your mother faces 3 years in State prison.

My answer is NO!, on every one. The theory of "jury nullification" has intrigued me. So much so that the next time I get a call for jury duty, rather than throwing it away I'll be responding to it in hopes of being selected. If the opportunity presents itself to bring real justice via an act of jury nullification, I'll seize it. I encourage you to do the same.

(cross-posted at www.everything-voluntary.com)