I pointed them to this etherpad [...] where I was researching the question. I wasn't even sure at the time what the right answer was.
Was this after you were selected to serve on the jury? They usually make it pretty clear that you are not permitted to do outside research on the case or the laws in question.
Also if jury nullification is important to the defendant's case then it would be the job of their attorney to make sure the jury is aware of that choice.
> Also if jury nullification is important to the defendant's case then it would be the job of their attorney to make sure the jury is aware of that choice.
They're not allowed to inform you in most states, as I understand it. I think, however, that there are one or two states which are exceptions in that regard and say something about jurors having the final say in their jury instructions, but it's been quite a while since I've read up on this.
> They usually make it pretty clear that you are not permitted to do outside research on the case or the laws in question.
Grand juries operate under vastly different rules and assumptions, and for very different (and varying) purposes, than petit (trial) juries. The role of a grand jury has been anything from a limited sanity check on prosecutors all the way to an autonomous body empowered to investigate all aspects of governance in their jurisdiction.
There have even been grand juries that were long treated as rubber stamps for prosecutors, but found the laws of their state envisioned much more, went "rogue", and started bringing down corrupt politicians, prosecutors, judges, etc..
Was this after you were selected to serve on the jury? They usually make it pretty clear that you are not permitted to do outside research on the case or the laws in question.
Also if jury nullification is important to the defendant's case then it would be the job of their attorney to make sure the jury is aware of that choice.