Some weekend reading

Helping Justice Overcome a Flawed Policy – a nice little piece on Senator Durbin’s efforts to introduce the Truth in Trials bill.

Sen. Durbin’s bill is in line with the history and purpose of the American criminal jury system, which has been likened to the “fourth branch of government” and the “final check and balance.” His measure would allow jurors to know whether the verdict they are asked to return would be a just one. If not, jurors could refuse to convict — nullify the law — on their own initiative. Durbin’s bill will merely allow the jury system — the conscience of the community — to dispense, as Judge Hoyt so well put, “acts of mercy … where the facts dictate morally and ethically that mercy is appropriate.”

An interesting piece by Moby, of all people, in the New York Times.

Recreational drug use has been, and continues to be, an integral part of our culture.æ Recreational drug use is practiced in bars and in churches, in Dumpsters and in penthouses, so with all of our technological resources, why can’t we make it as safe as it is fun?

This week’s Drug War Chronicle, including Decriminalization Comes to Britain: House of Commons Passes Cannabis Rescheduling Bill (one step closer to a reasonble half-measure). You can still donate to Stop the Drug War and receive a copy of the video “Busted.”
This week’s issue of Drug Sense Weekly including an update on the case of the death Clayton Helriggle (one of the drug war victims). You can still donate to Drug Sense/MAP and have your contribution matched.
Last One Speaks is always a great read (check out her take on the prison industrial complex). I also got a real kick out of her halloween slogan (to go with a Cheech and Chong costume):

Bongs don’t hurt people, John Walters’ do

She’ll be off attending the Drug Policy Alliance Conference this week. I look forward to her reports with great anticipation.