2024 was a disastrous year for the environment, the climate, world peace and the future of our planet. It is set to be the hottest year on record and the 10 hottest years have all been in the last decade. But this blog has seen some successes which are worth celebrating. In January we challengedContinueContinue reading “Goodbye to 2024. Will 2025 be better?”
Tag Archives: Defend our Juries
Imprisoning political prisoners is nothing new. But do we need to do that today?
Friday’s important Defend Our Juries protest outside Southwark Crown Court calling for political prisoners to be released from jail got little press coverage. It is shameful that the media does not cover things like this, which is why this blog was set up in the first place. 320 people occupied the road outside Southwark CrownContinueContinue reading “Imprisoning political prisoners is nothing new. But do we need to do that today?”
Tell the Truth Conference in London
Last weekend there was an important conference in London of the Tell the Truth Community. Here are some of the videos of the various talks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDL9rcTL9nk&ab_channel=JonFuller Jon Fuller, the organiser of the conference, gives a quick summary of the 5 core truths that the media refuse to cover. You can find details of the ClimateContinueContinue reading “Tell the Truth Conference in London”
The accused should be allowed to explain the motivations of their actions
On Thursday July 11th three brave campaigners risked arrest in a silent protest outside Sheffield Crown Court. They sat in the cold for an hour holding placards saying “The Right of Juries to give their Verdict according to their Convictions”. The action is being repeated at courts all around the country. This was done inContinueContinue reading “The accused should be allowed to explain the motivations of their actions”
Landmark decision in the Royal Court of Justice finds in favour of Trudi Warner
Sheffield Defend Our Juries are celebrating following the High Court decision on Monday to dismiss the application of Robert Courts MP, the Solicitor General, to imprison Trudi Warner, a 69-year-old retired social worker. She held a sign outside Inner London Crown Court in March 2023 saying “that a jury has the right to acquit a defendant as a matter of conscience, whatever the directions of the judge” and coincided with the prosecution of a group of people for taking direct action to tackle climate breakdown and fuel poverty.
14 local residents defend historic role of juries outside Sheffield Crown Court
This morning, 16.04.2024 at 8:45am a group of Sheffield residents sat outside Sheffield Crown Court holding signs with the words “The right of juries to give their verdict according to their convictions”
Joining hundreds of others around England and Wales as part of the Defend Our Juries National Week of Action, April 13th – 21st, where every crown court in England & Wales will be visited by people to remind jurors that they have the right to acquit a defendant based on their conscience, irrespective of the directions of the judge.
Their signs display the centuries-old principle of ‘jury equity’, i.e. the right of all jurors in British courtrooms to acquit a defendant according to their conscience and irrespective of the directions of the judge. Famously, in 1984, a jury acquitted the civil servant, Clive Ponting, on this principle after he exposed government misinformation to the public and Parliament concerning the ‘Falklands War’
“PLEASE PROSECUTE ME” SAY JURY DEFENDERS
It’s not often you hear people asking to be prosecuted. Today is an unusual day. In an act of solidarity, residents from Sheffield sent a copy of a 300-signature letter to the Solicitor General. In the letter the signatories, including residents from Sheffield, challenged the solicitor general to prosecute them. The spokesperson for the Group StephContinueContinue reading ““PLEASE PROSECUTE ME” SAY JURY DEFENDERS”
Defend Our Juries activists risk arrest in Sheffield.
https://youtu.be/BBXtzh4ao2o Geraldine Roberts explains the background to the Defend Our Juries action. Twelve Defend our Juries activists risked arrest outside Sheffield Crown Court on Monday December 4th as part of a national campaign that included 52 Crown Courts. Apart from this excellent coverage by Now Then Magazine the local press have so far ignored thisContinueContinue reading “Defend Our Juries activists risk arrest in Sheffield.”
Local residents defend the historic role of juries outside Sheffield Crown Court
A press release from Sheffield Defend our Juries On Monday 4 December from 8:45am until 10am, a group of 12 Sheffield residents joined hundreds of others around the country in holding signs outside Sheffield Crown Court, as part of the growing public campaign Defend Our Juries. Their signs display the centuries-old principle of ‘jury equity’,ContinueContinue reading “Local residents defend the historic role of juries outside Sheffield Crown Court”
Fourteen brave protesters risk arrest at Sheffield Court to defend juries.
Fourteen very brave protestors risked arrest outside Sheffield Crown Court on Monday, September 25th. It was part of a national campaign to defend our juries. (see defendourjuries.org for more information). They all held signs reading ‘The right of juries: to give their verdict according to their convictions’. What’s it all about? In the past, someContinueContinue reading “Fourteen brave protesters risk arrest at Sheffield Court to defend juries.”
