Political Quotes

Lysander Spooner: And there is obviously no more difficulty in a jury's determining whether an accused person knew the law in a criminal…

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And there is obviously no more difficulty in a jury's determining whether an accused person knew the law in a criminal case, than there is in determining any of these other questions that are continually determined in regard to a man's mental capacity.
Said by
Lysander Spooner

Editor's note · Context

Spooner argues that juries can determine a defendant's knowledge of the law just as they assess other mental capacities.

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More from Lysander Spooner

The will, or the pretended will, of the majority, is the last lurking place of tyranny at the present day.

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And he can rightfully be held to no greater knowledge of the law than this.

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And the right is practically established only when and because the government, no longer exists to call it in question.

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One answer is, that this power, which juries have of judging of the law, is not a power of absolute decision in all cases.

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