Liberty and Freedom - CI-107 Fully Informed Juries

    Juries have always had the right to judge both fact and law and vote according to conscience. Juries can't be punished for their verdict and Juries don't

have to follow the judge's instructions. Our founding fathers saw juries as a check on abusive government. Jury rights bills have need introduced in the

Montana legislature several times. Those bills went nowhere. At one hearing the County Attorney's Association representative said the Juries do have power

and we don't need more laws. The MTLP contiunes to educate people on their rights while serving on a jury at various events around the state. CI-107 will allow

a person accused of a crime to argue the merits of the law. Just think about author Peter McWilliams who was charged with Marijunna offenses in

California many years ago. Despite the fact that California voters passed Prop 215 McWillians could not mention that fact to the jury. Juries need to be

fully informed. We need volunteers to help collect signatures. If you can help contact Mike Fellows at (406) 721-9020

PETITION TO PLACE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 107 ON THE ELECTION BALLOT

Subject to applicable laws and deadlines, if 10% of the voters in each of 40 legislative districts sign this petition and the total number of voters signing the petition is 48,674, this constitutional amendment will appear on the next general election ballot. If a majority of voters vote for this amendment at that election, it will become part of the constitution.

We, the undersigned Montana voters, propose that the secretary of state place the following constitutional amendment on the November 6, 2012, general election ballot:

[]     FOR amending the Montana Constitution to allow a person accused of a crime to argue to the jury the merits of the law.

[]   AGAINST amending the Montana Constitution to allow a person accused of a crime to argue to the jury the merits of the law.

Voters are urged to read the complete text of the constitutional amendment, which appears on the reverse side of or attached to this sheet. A signature on this petition is only to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot and does not necessarily mean the signer agrees with the amendment.

WARNING

A person who purposefully signs a name other than the person's own to this petition, who signs more than once for the same issue at one election, or who signs when not a legally registered Montana voter is subject to a $500 fine, 6 months in jail, or both.

Each person is required to sign the person's name and list the person's address or telephone number in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registration card or the signature will not be counted.

PETITION #: ___________________________________________   COUNTY: __________________________________________   

Instructions to Signature Gatherers: (1) you must be a Montana resident; (2) you cannot be paid per signature; (3) you can download and print petitions from the Internet, but the petition language and format may not be modified; (4) collect voters' signatures from only one county per sheet; (5) always have a complete copy of the initiative available and tell each potential signer the initiative language and explanation statements are available; (6) each petition (or section of up to 25 sheets) must have an affidavit signed by you and you must have another person notarize each affidavit; (7) you must have personally witnessed each signature you submit to sign the affidavit; (8) please return this petition, even if not completely full, not later than May 31, 2012, to: Roger Roots, 113 Lake Drive East, Livingston, MT 59047. After May 31, 2012, please mail the petitions to the applicable county election administrator – election office mailing addresses are available online at the following: http://sos.mt.gov . Signed petition sheets are due to counties by 5:00 p.m. on June 22, 2012.

PETITION TO PLACE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 107 ON THE ELECTION BALLOT

WARNING

A person who purposefully signs a name other than the person's own to this petition, who signs more than once for the same issue at one election, or who signs when not a legally registered Montana voter is subject to a $500 fine, 6 months in jail, or both.

Each person is required to sign the person's name and list the person's address or telephone number in substantially the same manner as on the person's voter registration card or the signature will not be counted.

COUNTY: ___________________________________________

Complete Text of Ballot Issue:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Article II, section 24, of The Constitution of the State of Montana is amended to read:

" Section 24. Rights of the accused -- applicability of law considered by jurors . (1) In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall have the right to appear and defend in person and by counsel; to demand the nature and cause of the accusation; to meet the witnesses against him face to face; to have process to compel the attendance of witnesses in his behalf, and a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the county or district in which the offense is alleged to have been committed, subject to the right of the state to have a change of venue for any of the causes for which the defendant may obtain the same.

(2) In all criminal jury trials, the accused may argue the propriety, applicability, and merits of the law to the jurors, and the jury shall be instructed that it has the power to determine those factors in order to protect the accused from unjust prosecutions with its verdict. Denial or obstruction of this subsection is reversible error. "

Instructions to Signature Gatherers: (1) you must be a Montana resident; (2) you cannot be paid per signature; (3) you can download and print petitions from the Internet, but the petition language and format may not be modified; (4) collect voters' signatures from only one county per sheet; (5) always have a complete copy of the initiative available and tell each potential signer the initiative language and explanation statements are available; (6) each petition (or section of up to 25 sheets) must have an affidavit signed by you and you must have another person notarize each affidavit; (7) you must have personally witnessed each signature you submit to sign the affidavit; (8) please return this petition, even if not completely full, not later than May 31, 2012, to: Roger Roots, 113 Lake Drive East, Livingston, MT 59047. After May 31, 2012, please mail the petitions to the applicable county election administrator – election office mailing addresses are available online at the following: http://sos.mt.gov . Signed petition sheets are due to counties by 5:00 p.m. on June 22, 2012.

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