Poor Bastard...

I remember  when I first read  the US was no longer allowing Trial by Jury for sentences under 6 months anymore. This was disguised as a "cost cutting measure".  Right...it is a maneuver by the state to disallow an accused the opportunity to a fair trial judged  by his peers. The new trend in law enforcement is to "stack" several charges all worth 6 months or less, have a judge rubber stamp it as per the prosecution request and Voila you have a person serving consecutive sentences of 6 months or less that can stretch out decades.

Good job there rigging the system.

78-year-old libertarian rights activist Julian Heicklen and his wife were rousted from their bed in Teaneck NJ at 6 AM Friday morning by federal officers serving Heicklen an arrest warrant for failure to appear at an arraignment on charges of jury tampering.

Jury tampering in this case seems to consist of standing outside on a curb of a court house handing out pamphlets and talking to people  about Jury nullification and Fully Informed Jury Association, a perfectly legal  thing to do, but a real pisser to TPTB who would rather keep folks ignorant of their rights and or purpose as a juror.


Heicklen is/was looking forward to HIS day in court where he could argue his case and beef up the profile of Jury Nullification. Apparently TPTB have slightly different plans for Mr. Heicklen:

However, during his court appearance Heicklen was told that his trial for jury tampering will not be a jury trial because the penalty is 6 months or less.

How convenient for the prosecution.... no pesky judged by his peers nonsense will clutter up this trial. A penny saved is an accused turned guilty easily, no muss no fuss.......no justice.