Residents joined hundreds around the country in a silent protest to defend jury rights outside a town’s crown court this week.
Activist group Defend Our Juries has been holding placards across the nation as part of a national week of action, and yesterday saw some gathered outside Lynn’s Crown Court.
The group is campaigning to protect the centuries-old principle of “jury equity” – the right of juries to acquit a defendant according to their conscience and regardless of the directions of the judge.
They are doing so in support of retired social worker Trudi Warner, who was facing a prison sentence from the High Court this week for contempt of court after she carried a sign expressing the right outside Inner London Crown Court.
Running the risk of being arrested like Ms Warner, protesters took to the courthouse on Wednesday from 8.45am until 10am holding their own signs showing the same thing, in solidarity with her.
“I was proud to join members of the local community, carrying out a silent vigil outside King’s Lynn Crown Courts as part of the Defend Our Juries national week of action,” said Zoe Flint, a 68-year-old retired research chemist and teacher.
“Our placards displayed the hard-won legal right of juries to acquit defendants according to their conscience.
“That right is now under attack and as a concerned citizen I felt I was duty-bound to take part.”
Defend Our Juries highlighted acquittals in recent years as an important reminder of jury equity. These include the Colson Four, in 2022, or the Brook House Three.
In February, 300 people signed an open letter to Solicitor General Robert Courts regarding the Trudi Warner case.
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary has been approached for comment.
