S-464                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5356

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senators Metcalf and Pullen

Read first time 1/26/87 and referred to Committee on  Judiciary.

AN ACT Relating to juries; and adding a new section to chapter 4.44 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 4.44 RCW to read as follows:

          Jurors shall be instructed that they are empowered to render a verdict that is fair and just. Jurors shall be further instructed that they may deliver a verdict which is not consistent with the letter of the law if they feel that the law is unjust.  The judge shall further instruct the jury that the procedure of jury nullification has been upheld and approved by the United States supreme court.