~Basil

https://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2019/02/tennessee-bills-would-require-courts-to-fully-inform-juries/

Tennessee Bills Would Require Courts to Fully Inform Juries

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 5, 2019) – Bills filed in the Tennessee legislature would require state courts to fully inform jurors of their right to use discretion in rendering verdicts.

Sen. Frank Nicely (R-Strawberry Plains) filed Senate Bill (SB369) on Jan. 30. Rep. Martin Daniel (R-Knoxville) filed a companion bill (HB368) the following day. Under the proposed law, courts would be required to fully inform jurors of their rights at the request of a defendant’s attorney using the following language.

“If you have a reasonable doubt as to whether the state has proven any one (1) or more of the elements of the crime charged, you must find the defendant not guilty. However, if you find that the state has proven all the elements of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you should find the defendant guilty. Even if you find that the state has proven all of the elements of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you may still find that based upon the facts of this case, a guilty verdict will yield an unjust result, and you may find the defendant not guilty.” ……