A jury would not only judge what acts were really criminal, but they would judge of the mental capacity of an accused person, and of his opportunities for understand- ing the true character of his conduct.
Spooner states that juries should assess both the criminality of acts and the mental capacity of the accused.
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All those who are not forbidden by law may be judges (jurors).
They are every day committing errors, which would be crimes, but for their ignorance of the law.
And he can rightfully be held to no greater knowledge of the law than this.
The people considered their jurisprudence as a part of their inheritance.