HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1272        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1544

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Elizabeth A. Poirier

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to fully inform juries.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/15/2015

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

2/4/2015


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1272        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1544

By Mrs. Poirier of North Attleborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1544) of Elizabeth A. Poirier and Paul R. Heroux relative to allowing defense attorneys to notify jurors of their rights as jurors regarding jury nullification.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act relative to fully inform juries.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter  234 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 34(c), the following section:-

Section 34d.  In all criminal proceedings, the court shall permit the defendant to inform the jury of its right to judge the facts and the application of the law in relation to the facts by providing a specific nullification instruction to the jury.  The instruction shall further inform jurors of their right to refuse to enforce unjust or unjustly applied laws.